Just One Smile
by akanikunimitsu
Summary: He was the gentleman. He was the trickster. Her? She was the wallflower. Will friendship be enough reason to give up the one thing that gives meaning to your life? Will love be enough reason to give up the one friendship that was the only life you knew? Can you find true love in Middle School? *This is now subject for proof reading*
1. PROLOGUE

**PROLOGUE**

He walked the earth pretending to not notice. He walked the earth caring for everyone, without being able to show how he really felt for that someone; because he was the gentleman, so he cared for everyone, he couldn't just care for just one.

She walked the earth ignored and unnoticed. She walked the earth yearning for the attention of someone, anyone; even if she knew there was only one whose attention she wanted most; she was the wallflower, so she was used to being ignored, but she wanted to be seen, by just that one.

He walked the earth noticing everyone. He walked the earth pestering everyone, without really needing to show how he really felt for that someone; because he was the trickster, so didn't care less if everyone he noticed, noticed him back, so cared less for everyone, when he just wanted to care for just one.

When friendship turns hatred to something beautiful. When love turns the gentle to the course. When emotions turns the decoration to the main attraction. When change is inevitable. When sometimes you have to choose, when sometimes you just have to lose. Because in failure you find your victory, in defeat you realize your destiny.

**-oOo-**

**This happened because I had a massive rebound to the TeniMyu fandom and had a massive RikkaiMyu heart attack watching (for the Nth time) Baba Toru as Yagyuu Hiroshi…thus…my goal of writing a fiction for each of my favourite TeniPuri characters from each team x OC ablazed again.**

**If you enjoyed my Tezuka x Amani's romance-fantasy fic (which will be endin soon) When Worlds Collide; and if you are in the process of reading my Choutarou x Aiko fic, Hana…hope this sparks your interest as well.**


	2. Generous is to Cunning

**CHAPTER ONE: Generous is to Cunning**

**DISCLAIMER: PoT is not mine.**

**Set in the Second Year of Yagyuu and Niou's Rikkai Dai Life.**

**-oOo-**

It was just another morning in Shiritsu Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku Chuu Gakko, students walking everywhere and anywhere. The busy and noisy morning of Rikkaidai became chaotic when three strong figures entered the gates of their school, their names: Yukimura Seiichi, Sanada Genechiro, and Yanagi Renji. The girls were screaming, pushing each other, trying to get closer to the Rikkai Big Three.

"Ohayou Yagyuu." Yukimura greeted the bespectacled Ni-nen who was walking right behind them.

"Ohayou, Yukimura-kun, Sanada-kun, Yanagi-kun." He replied.

"Ohayou Yagyuu-kun." Yanagi replied.

Sanada merely nodded in response.

Yagyuu Hiroshi, Rikkai Dai Fuzoku, Ni-nen, Class 1, Student Council member, one of the smartest students in their Middle School. He had ginger hair, wears oval glasses that hides his silver beady eyes, he has this stoic expression that matches that of Sanada's. To his peers he was known as 'the gentleman', and to that name he has lived up to since the day, he first set foot in Rikkaidai.

"Oi Niou!" Marui called out to the silver haired boy walking ahead of him and Jackal.

"Marui, let's not disturb him." Jackal tried to stop his doubles partner, but it was too late.

"Puri!" Niou stopped from his walking and turned to face Marui and Jackal.

"So?" Marui asks.

Niou shakes his head.

"How long?" Marui asks again.

Niou merely shrugs his shoulders before walking away.

"What was that about?" Jackal asked Marui.

"Something to make the tennis team stronger." Marui replied popping the bubble gum in his mouth.

Niou Masaharu, Rikkai Dai Fuzoku, Ni-nen, Class 2, Resident Prankster, Tennis Club Pre-regular. He had silver-gray hair, blue-green eyes, a smirk on his face each time he pulls a perfectly planned prank on someone. To his peers, he was known as 'the trickster', and to that name, he had never failed a day to live up to.

"Ite!" a female voice was heard.

"Puri!" Niou smirked then walked away from the crowd.

"Daijabou?" Yagyuu asked the girl covered in green, sticky, gross looking substance.

"Daijabou." The girl softly replied trying to dry herself up.

No else really cared, they just passed her by, a few glanced and tried to hide a smirk, some of them even had the outright guts to laugh out loud.

"Here let me help you." Yagyuu assisted the girl to stand, handing her his own handkerchief to wipe away more of the mess that was all over her.

"Oh, no thank you Yagyuu-kun; I wouldn't want your handkerchief to get dirty this early in the morning." The girl refused.

"It's okay, here." Yagyuu tries to wipe some of the goo from her face.

"Oh my! Suzuki-kun, what happened?" Watanabe-sensei asked as she saw the girl being assisted by Yagyuu.

"Ah, I really don't know Sensei, I was walking to class one minute, then I got smudged all over with goo the next." She replied.

"Come with me, you have to change." The Watanabe-sensei assisted the girl to the teacher's lounge, "Yagyuu-kun, can you please drop by 2-2's classroom and tell Niou Masaharu to report to the Principal's office immediately."

"Hai sensei." Yagyuu bowed.

"Yagyuu-kun, arigato." The girl bowed.

Yagyuu simple nodded.

Suzuki Mayumi, Rikkai Dai Fuzoku Ni-nen, Class 3, she had purple hair, blue eyes and a very soft voice. The invisible member of their society, an unnoticed soul in the student population; Niou Masaharu's favourite pranks target, maybe because she always falls for his tricks. Needless to say, she was the wallflower, breathing and withering away and no one cared.

"Niou-kun." Yagyuu called to the silver-haired boy leaning on the door of his classroom.

Niou turns his head to Yagyuu's direction.

"Why did you splatter Suzuki-kun with goo?" Niou asked, straight to the point.

"I didn't. Puri!" Niou denied.

"Who else would do such a dirty trick?" Yagyuu firmly replied.

"I don't know." Niou replied nonchalantly.

"Watanabe-sensei said you should go to the principal's office, now." Yagyuu replied.

"Iiyo." Was the simple response.

Yagyuu's eyebrows rose at Niou's lack of interest.

"So, have you thought about my proposal?" Niou asked the ginger head.

"I prefer to stay in the golf club, thank you." Yagyuu politely replied.

"You'll be more suited in the Tennis Club you know." Niou argued.

"Why is that?" Yagyuu inquired.

"Maybe it can help your popularity with the girls a little, the student council isn't doing much for you anyway." Niou replied sarcastically.

Yagyuu clears his throat. "I don't think that is reason enough to join."

"When you think of one, tell me, I'll make sure you get it." Niou replied before walking towards the principal's office.

"Think of what?" Yagyuu asked as he watched the trickster walk away.

"A reason to join the tennis club." Niou stops in his steps, turns his head to Yagyuu and smirks, "Puri!"

Yagyuu adjusts his glasses before walking to his own class.

-oOo-

Mayumi stared from outside her classroom window towards the tennis courts. She wanted to learn to play tennis, but she was too scared to even try. She was amazed at how they could chase a very small ball around in the court with a racket. She was amazed at how the Rikkai Dai Tennis Club had managed to rise from being the underdog, to being Emperors of the court. But most of all, she wanted to learn tennis, because there was someone in the tennis team that inspired her, even if he didn't really notice her, well, maybe he did, just not the way she wished he would.

"Still staring?" Yukimura said from the door of their classroom.

"Seiichi-kun?" Mayumi replied surprised.

"When are you going to try?" Yukimura stepped closer to the girl.

"Never, maybe." Mayumi sadly replied.

"Nande?"

"I don't think I'll ever be good at anything." Mayumi sighed, "Besides being invisible."

Yukimura chuckled, "You're not invisible Mayumi-kun, I can see you clearly."

Mayumi smiled gently, "Maybe the reason why I like tennis so much is because I admire just how good you are at it."

"Hontou? Then maybe I should give you private lessons." Yukimura joked.

Mayumi chuckled, "I don't think I'm worth your time Seiichi-kun."

"Yukimura." Sanada called the demigod from the door.

"Sanada?"

"Time to go to practice." Sanada firmly replied.

"Sou dane. I'll go ahead Mayumi-kun." Yukimura smiled at the girl.

"Ganbare Seiichi-kun." The girl replied, "You too Sanada-kun."

Sanada simply nodded before he joined Yukimura to walk to the court.

-oOo-

"Sorry I'm late!" Akaya shouted as he opened the door to the student council room.

"Do you have business with the student council?" Yagyuu asked the Ich-nen as he adjusted his glasses.

"W-Wha-?" Akaya looked confused. "Student council? Someone told me this was where the tennis club was."

"How disturbing, someone must have played a prank on you." Yagyuu replied being fully aware of who it was.

-oOo-

"Have you seen Niou?" Marui asked Jackal as they were busy accommodating Ich-nen signing up for the tennis club.

"Iie, he should've been here an hour ago." Jackal replied.

"Heard he got detention again, for splattering Suzuki-kun with goo this morning." Marui added chewing his gum.

"That poor girl had been the subject of Niou's pranks since the first year." Jackal shook his head.

"Yeah, sometimes I think Niou has a crush on her." Marui joked.

"Hontouni?" Jackal replied being vulnerable.

"Jackal, come on. It's Niou were talking about here." Marui replied a look of disbelief in his face at Jackal's reaction.

"Still, why would Niou target her? Like 80% of the time?" Jackal argued.

"Maybe because she's just so gullible and fragile she the one who falls for Niou's tricks 80% of the time." Marui reasoned out.

"Good point." Jackal agreed.

"Of course, I'm a genius aren't I?" Marui proclaimed.

Jackal's sweat drop.

-oOo-

Mayumi slowly walked towards the gate of their school, another day was over, a day that started with Niou Masaharu splattering her with goo, none the less, it was over, and she was glad. She looked up to appreciate the pink and orange hue of the afternoon sky. She takes a deep breathe when she notices a familiar figure with silver-gray hair walking towards the building she just exited from. Her knees began to shake, her heartbeat became so fast, she felt like she was going to faint.

"Suzuki-kun, you're still here?" Yagyuu called her from behind.

Mayumi jumped a little before turning around, "Oh, Yagyuu-kun, it's you. Hai, I finished some homework in the library." She explained.

"How very diligent of you." Yagyuu praised the girl.

"Arigato. And you? Just finished with the student council?" Mayumi asked in return.

"Hai." Yagyuu replied.

"I see." Mayumi a bit uncomfortable, _Yagyuu-kun is such a gentleman, I wish 'he' were more like him_. She thought to herself.

"Are you walking home?" Yagyuu asked.

"Oh, iie, I take the bus, my house is far from here." She explained.

"I see, mine is close by so I just walk." Yagyuu replied.

"Piyo!" Niou said as he appeared in front of the two.

Mayumi froze, she had totally forgotten about seeing Niou walking towards her direction.

Niou stared at the girl for a while then slightly tilted his head to the left.

"Niou-kun, you tricked that Ich-nen by pointing him to the student council room earlier." Yagyuu began.

Niou turned his stare from Mayumi to Yagyuu, but he didn't reply.

Mayumi shifted, she could still feel the goo covering her body that morning.

"He made it, he was able to sign up so?" Niou couldn't care less.

"A-Ano, excuse me Yagyuu-kun, I'll be going ahead." Mayumi interrupted, "N-Niou-kun." She hesitantly bowed before running towards the gate.

"Puri!" was the reply, Niou staring at the girl's back as she ran away.

Yagyuu observed Niou's actions as they both watched Mayumi run away. "Stop picking on her." He firmly said.

"Huh?" Niou turned his face back to Yagyuu.

"Stop picking on her and I'll join the tennis team."

Niou's eyebrows raised, his face became brighter and hopeful.

"Stop playing tricks on her and I'll quit the golf team to join the tennis team." Yagyuu repeated.

"Join the tennis team now, then I'll stop picking on her." Niou bargained.

"Iie, stop picking on her first, then, I'll join the team." Yagyuu firmly replied.

"Iiyo." Niou agreed.

"Iiyo." Yagyuu extended his hand to Niou.

Niou shook Yagyuu's hand then walked back to the tennis courts.

**-oOo-**

**I guess that pretty much gives a hint on where this story is going.**


	3. Gentle is to Turmoil

**CHAPTER 2: Gentle is to Turmoil**

**DISCLAIMER: Rikkai is not mine, PoT is not mine. =)**

**-oOo-**

Mayumi rushed to class, she couldn't believe she woke up late today and she was on morning duty. She didn't mind all the people bumping into her; after all, they didn't seem to notice her anyway. She was running so fast she finally ran out of breathe, she stopped for a second to catch her breath. She straightened herself up and much to her surprise someone was standing in front of her, a tall, silver-grey haired someone, slouchy standing right in front of her. _Niou-kun_. Her eyes widened shock evident in her face; she was getting herself ready for any slimy or sticky something gooey to drop on her any second soon.

Niou moved his hand from his pocket.

She shut her eyes tightly, _Oh Kami-sama, please be something easy to remove from my uniform_. She prayed as she expected to be splattered all over. But, instead, she felt a hand on her cheek; she was so scared to open her eyes because she was afraid Niou might surprise her if she does. She felt the hand on her cheek wipe something off then it was removed. It was then that she decided to open her eyes.

"You have toothpaste on your cheek." Was all Niou said before walking away towards his classroom.

Mayumi touched the cheek from where Niou whipped the toothpaste off, _Niou-kun_. She said in disbelief.

Niou glances back at the girl but said nothing more.

"Arigato gozaimasu Niou-kun." Mayumi bowed before going straight to her classroom.

While all this was happening, a pair of eyes hidden between oval spectacles was watching them from an open door of a classroom across from Niou's.

Niou notices the watcher from the other room and tilts his head to make him know that he knows that he was watching, "Piyo!"

Yagyuu nods and adjusted his glasses and nods. He takes a piece of paper from his vest pocket and shows it to Niou, "I guess it's about time for me to hand this in." he waves the letter of resignation from the golf club and the letter of application to the tennis club. Because yes, Niou Masaharu was able to keep his end of the bargain, and Yagyuu knew how to keep his word.

-oOo-

"Is Niou sick? He hasn't been playing tricks on Suzuki-kun lately." Marui asked everyone who was present in the clubroom.

"I don't think so, he's been attending classes and practices, he can't be sick." Jackal replied.

"Mou, he's not sick Marui-senpai; Niou-senpai just threw a banana peel in my way during lunch today." Akaya complained remembering how he hurt his bun slipping form said banana peel.

Yagyuu enters the clubroom with his tennis bag in his shoulder.

"Oi Yagyuu!" Marui greeted the bespectacled boy

"Konnichiwa Minna-san." Yagyuu greeted back.

"Konnichiwa Yagyuu-senpai." Akaya greeted back.

"Wow!" Marui and Jackal said in unison.

"Nande?" Akaya asked surprised.

"You greeted Yagyuu back." Jackal answered.

"So?" Akaya replied nonchalantly.

"You never greet us back when we greet you." Marui complained.

"But it's Yagyuu-senpai." Akaya reasoned out.

"Meaning?" Marui raised his voice a little.

"Betsuni." Akaya shrugged and slowly hid behind Jackal.

"I think that's a very good practice Kirihara-kun, to greet back when you are greeted." Yagyuu praised the younger boy.

Akaya smug and had a proud look on his face when Marui grabbed him by the jacket collar and dragged his out the clubroom, "Oi Akaya! Let's go warm up." Marui said with an evil grin.

"Ah! Marui-senpai let me go!" Akaya protested as he was being dragged by Marui.

Yagyuu adjusted his glasses.

"Yagyuu, can I ask you something?" Jackal started.

"What is it Kuwahara-kun?" Yagyuu replied as he was stripping to change.

"What did Niou do to convince you to join the tennis club?"

"We had a very important agreement, and Niou-kun has been faithful to his end of the deal, so I'm keeping mine." Yagyuu explained.

"What agreement is that?" Jackal pushed.

"That, would be between me and Niou-kun." Yagyuu replied, just then, Niou entered the clubroom.

"Well, I'll be going ahead." Jackal excused himself.

"What was that about?" Niou asked as he himself began to change clothes.

"They were asking what you did to convince me to join the tennis team." Yagyuu replied ironing the few wrinkles in his shirt.

"And what did you say?" Niou interrogated.

"I didn't tell them about Suzuki-kun, if that's what you're asking." Yagyuu replied.

"No one is to know." Niou turned to face Yagyuu.

"Iiyo." Was the simple reply.

"Puri!" Niou turned back to changing clothes while Yagyuu stepped out of the clubroom.

-oOo-

It's been a month since Niou last pulled a prank of Mayumi, and somehow she wondered why. He didn't seem to have any new favourite target. Come to think of it, he does. He's been picking on the kid Kirihara Akaya who was also a part of the tennis club. _Maybe that's why he doesn't play tricks on me anymore?_ Her thoughts were disturbed by a gentle touch on her shoulder.

"Staring out the window again Mayumi-kun?" Yukimura asked with a smile.

"Oh, Seiichi-kun, I was just thinking." Mayumi smiled at the bluenette.

"Thinking about?" Yukimura sat beside the girl.

"Have you noticed anything weird about Niou-kun lately?" Mayumi asked.

Yukimura thought for a moment before answering, "Not really." He denied.

"I see." Mayumi replied with disappointment.

"Do you notice anything weird about Niou lately?" Yukimura asked in return.

"Well…" she started then turned beat red when she noticed Yukimura smiling at her.

"Well?" the demigod prodded.

"Ano, Niou-kun hasn't-." Mayumi couldn't complete her sentence.

"Hasn't?" Yukimura's smile widened.

"Never mind Seiichi-kun." She stood and picked up her things.

"He hasn't played tricks on you lately." Yukimura finished her sentence for her.

Mayumi stopped with what she was doing and stared at Yukimura, "I thought you said—."

"I said what Mayumi-kun?" Yukimura asked with a smile.

"You said you didn't notice anything different about him?" Mayumi asked a bit irritated.

"You asked me if I noticed anything weird about Niou, not if I noticed anything different." Yukimura corrected.

Mayumi stared at the bluenette.

Yukimura chuckled, "It's been a month hasn't it?"

"Hai." Mayumi replied before going back to fixing her bag.

"Do you miss him?" Yukimura teased.

"Why would I miss being picked on?" Mayumi retorted.

"I didn't ask if you missed being picked on, I asked if you missed Niou." Yukimura again corrected.

"Why would I miss Niou-kun?" Mayumi replied defensively.

"I was just asking." Yukimura shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't you have tennis practice to get to?" Mayumi tried to shoo Yukimura.

"Sanada hasn't looked for me yet." Yukimura reasoned out.

"So, you want to wait for Sanada-kun to look for you before you go to practice?" Mayumi asked with a weird look in her face.

"Of course not. But I did agree to wait for him finish his class assembly so we can go to practice together." Yukimura explained.

"It's so nice to have a best friend." Mayumi commented with a tone of jealousy.

"Maybe you should be best friends with Niou." Yukimura teased.

"Nani? I'd rather die." Mayumi defended.

Yukimura chuckled, "Oh well, I have to go now, Sanada's meeting should be over by now."

"Iiyo, see you later." Mayumi waved.

-oOo-

Another week had past and Niou, it seemed had totally forgotten about Mayumi. He did seem to enjoy bullying Akaya. Another Friday afternoon came to Rikkai Dai and despite having half-day classes on Saturdays, each student looked forward to Friday. Including the tennis team members.

"Have you noticed anything about Yukimura lately?" Yanagi asked the team as afternoon practice ended.

"What do you mean Yanagi-senpai?" Akaya was first to react.

"Anything about Yukimura?" Yanagi repeated.

"He hasn't made us run extra laps in two days." Marui suggested.

"Hai, hai, besides that, anything else?" Yanagi prompted.

"He spent more time in the rooftop garden lately." Jackal said next.

"Well, some of the sprouts are expected to bloom this week so that pretty much explains that behaviour, but anything else?" Yanagi asked in frustration.

"Not really." Yagyuu replied.

"Don't really mind." Niou said next.

"Genechiro?" Yanagi asked.

Sanada simple shook his head.

"Haven't you notice who he's been spending time with?" Yanagi prompted.

"Sanada- senpai." Akaya replied.

"That is a given, they are best friend since they were young." Yagyuu explained.

"Iie, not Genechiro." Yanagi said with an instigating voice.

"You?" Marui asked unsure.

"If it were me, would I ask?" Yanagi replied.

"Are you, by any chance, referring to girl?" Jackal questioned.

Yanagi's eyes opened, "What have you observed Jackal?"

Jackal stepped backward and pulled Marui to his front to shield him from Yanagi, "Betsuni."

"Yanagi, what's this about?" Sanada finally spoke up.

"Have none of you noticed how Seiichi has been spending a lot of time with Suzuki-kun?" Yanagi finally getting to the point.

"Oooohhh." Marui, Jackal and Akaya said in Unison.

Yagyuu cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses, shifting a little from where he was seated.

Niou ignored the question completely and was quick to grab his bag, "I'll go ahead, I just remembered there was something I had to do." And exits the clubroom.

"What's up with Niou?" Marui asked Yagyuu.

"He just remembered there was something he had to do." Yagyuu repeated what Niou said.

"I heard that, I mean what's up with him, why did he suddenly leave?" Marui replied sarcastically.

Yagyuu couldn't answer.

"You know come to think of it guys, it's been more than a month that Niou hasn't picked on Suzuki-kun." Marui said while rubbing his chin.

"Do you think it has something to do with Yukimura-fukubuchou spending much time with Suzuki-senpai that Niou-senpai stopped bullying Suzuki-senpai?" Akaya joined in the discussion.

Yagyuu shifted from his seat, he was getting uncomfortable with the discussion.

"Or maybe because you're his new favourite target Akaya." Marui teased the younger boy.

"Mou, Marui-senpai!" Akaya complained.

Jackal chuckled.

"Let's not change the topic here." Yanagi caught everyone's attention.

"Renji, enough of this." Sanada reprimanded.

"So do you think Yukimura and Suzuki-kun are dating?" Marui asked not minding Sanada's sharp stare.

"I don't mind if they are." Akaya said his hands behind his nape.

"Who asked you?" Marui rebutted.

"I was just stating my opinion Marui-senpai." Akaya reasoned out.

Yagyuu could feel his heart beating fast, he was not sure this was the best place to be in, given the flow of the discussion.

"Why are you sweating bead Yagyuu?" Yanagi noted.

"Excuse me?" Yagyuu replied.

"You're sweating beads." Yanagi pointed at Yagyuu's forehead, which was true enough filled with beady sweat.

"Are you sick Yagyuu-kun?" Jackal asked the gentleman.

"Oh, gomen, I feel a bit warm, maybe I should go on ahead." Yagyuu excused himself and headed out the clubroom.

"Hmn." Yanagi stared as Yagyuu stepped out of the clubroom.

"Stop this none sense Renji, minna, go home, we have morning practice tomorrow." Sanada commanded before he himself stepped out of the clubroom.

"You know, Yukimura-fukubuchou, Sanada-senpai, Yagyuu-senpai and Niou-senpai are all acting weird today." Akaya stated.

"Hmn." Yanagi replied while writing something in his notebook.

-oOo-

The District tournament was nearing and the tennis team was very busy with practice. Yukimura was implementing strict rules on tardiness among the members, both regulars and non-regulars. Yagyuu for some strange reason was running late for afternoon practice that day, so he was running in the hallways, even if he being the gentleman, and a member of the student council, knew that was forbidden. But right now Yukimura scares his more that Watanabe-sensei.

"Itte!"

*Blag*

"Daijabou?"

"Hai, daijabou. You?"

"Daijabou." Yagyuu helped the girl up.

"Gomennasai Yagyuu-kun, I didn't notice you coming." Mayumi apologized.

"Iie, iie, sumimasen desu, it was my fault I was running in the hallways." Yagyuu assisted Mayumi to pick up her books.

"It's okay, why were you running anyway?"

"I was running late for practice." Yagyuu explained.

"Oh right, Seiichi-kun is very strict now that the district tournament is up." Mayumi smiled.

"Hai." Yagyuu handed Mayumi her books.

"Well, go on ahead Yagyuu-kun, arigato for helping me pick-up my books." Mayumi nodded and smiled sweetly.

_She has a very pretty smile._ Yagyuu thought to himself before snapping back, "Oh, hai, I'll be going now." Yagyuu bowed before running to the tennis courts.

"Ganbare Yagyuu-kun!" Mayumi shouted.

"A-Ano, Suzuki-kun." Yagyuu stopped and turned back towards the girl.

"Hai?" she replied with a smile.

"If Niou-kun ever bothers you again, tell me iiyo?" Yagyuu said in a firm voice.

"Iiyo, nande?"

"Just—Just tell me, iiyo?" Yagyuu smiled a little.

_Did he just smile?_ Mayumi asked herself. "If Seiichi-kun gives you a difficult time in practice today, tell me iiyo?" she offered back

"Iiyo." He replied before turning back to running. _Seiichi-kun? They call each other by their first name, maybe Yanagi-kun is right, maybe they are dating?_ Yagyuu thought to himself as he made his way to the clubroom.

"Yagyuu."

Yagyuu stiffened a bit from the feminine voice, "Hai?" he replied without turning around.

"You're late." Yukimura replied.

"Gomennasai." Yagyuu turned and bowed.

"Twenty laps, now." Yukimura replied before exiting the clubroom. "By the way, where is Niou?"

"I haven't seen him since morning practice." Yagyuu replied.

"Well, if you happen to come across him after changing, tell him I said he should run 40 laps when he gets here." Yukimura replied before heading off to the courts.

"Hai." Yagyuu replied, _I wonder where Niou-kun is._

-oOo-

He knew he was running late for practice, and Yukimura might just kill him with laps but he wasn't in the mood to go the practice yet. He just made regular and he knew he was playing in the district tournament but it was not reason enough for him to get down from the rooftop. So Niou just stood there watching the student walking out the school, or to those respective club activities. It was then when he spotted Mayumi walking from the library, and the direction she was heading to would implicate that she was going home, Niou unconsciously smirked and ran down the stairs as fast as he could towards Mayumi's direction, to intentionally bump into her.

"Itte!" Mayumi screamed as she once again fell to the ground dropping her books. _Today is not my lucky day_. She thought.

"Daijabou?"

"Hai, daijabou." Mayumi grabbed the hand that was extended to her and stood up brushing her uniform.

"Gomennasai."

"It's okay, you didn't mean—." Mayumi's eyes widened once she realized whom she was talking to.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Niou asked.

"Iie, daijabou." Mayumi averted Niou's eyes and began to pick up her books.

"I was running late for practice." Niou reasoned out.

"I kind of figured." Mayumi replied. "I bumped into Yagyuu-kun earlier, he was running late too."

_Yagyuu._ Niou's eyes narrowed. "Oh, really, that's very un-Yagyuu of him." He said sarcastically.

"Right, that's why I was surprised to bump into him." Mayumi replied with a smile, then realized what she just said, "Not that bumping into you means—."

"It's okay." Niou said turning his back on the girl to walk to the tennis courts.

"Sumimasen."

"Oi, Suzuki!" Niou called out to the girl.

"H-Hai?"

"Be careful going home iiyo?" Niou said turning his head back to the girl, then smiled. "Puri!"

"N-Niou-kun." Mayumi couldn't believe his ears. _Did he just say what I thought he said?_ Mayumi stood there frozen watching the silverette walk away. _Niou-kun just smiled at me._

**-oOo-**

**There. More hints to where this story is heading. =) Anything confusing? I promise to make it clearer in the next chapters.**


	4. Calm is to Sudden

**CHAPTER 3: Calm is to Sudden**

**DISCLAIMER: Standard disclaimer applies**

**-oOo-**

"Sugoi! That was a really fast shot!" Akaya's eyes widened after Yagyuu shot a laser beam towards him during a practice match.

Yagyuu adjusted his glasses, "Adieu!"

"Ne, Niou, Yagyuu has improved so much since you recruited him to the team. I hear you two practice together when school's out." Marui asked the trickster as they were watching the game in the sidelines.

Niou smirked; somehow, he was proud of Yagyuu's improvement. Somehow, he was also jealous, and he didn't know why.

"He'll definitely make it to regular soon." Jackal stated.

Niou turned his head towards Jackal, he wanted Yagyuu to make it to the regulars, but somehow a part of him also didn't want him to, because he'd be a tougher competition than anyone else.

"So Niou, lately we've noticed you haven't been playing tricks on everyone, does hanging out with Yagyuu have something to do with it?" Marui questioned as he popped his bubble gum.

"I'm just taking a break. Besides, it's not like I have a lot of time to plan any pranks with all the practice we've been doing for the Kantou Tournament." Niou defended before grabbing his racket and walking away.

"What was that about?" Sanada asked Marui and Jackal.

"Niou being defensive about his love affair with Yagyuu." Marui replied playfully.

Sanada's eyes widened in disbelief, because yes, even the Emperor can be gullible at times.

"Why does Sanada have a shocked look on his face?" Yukimura asked Marui and Jackal as he stepped into the court with Yanagi.

"The chance that Marui said something ridiculously insane and Sanada believed him is about 98.7%." Yanagi told Yukimura.

"Genechiro, are you alright?" Yukimura waved his hand in front of his best friend's face.

"Say that again Marui." Sanada told the volley specialist.

"I was kidding Sanada." Marui replied, "It's not like Niou and Yagyuu really have a love affair." He added.

Yukimura chuckled with what Marui said, "Of course they don't. Sa, minna, that's all for today, you're all dismissed." He said turning to the rest of the team to dismiss them.

"How about you Seiichi? Don't you want to share something with us?" Yanagi intrigued their fukubuchou.

Yukimura then turned around to face Yanagi, Marui, Jackal and Sanada also staring at him. "Do I?" he asked.

"Do you?" Marui asked in return.

"What's going on here?" Akaya asked as he and Yagyuu walked closer to the group.

"We were just asking Yukimura if there was something he wanted to say to us." Yanagi explained.

"Nande? Is something wrong Yukimura-kun?" Yagyuu asked full of concern.

"Nothing's wrong Yagyuu-kun, I think Renji is just speculating." Yukimura replied with a smile.

"Let's all go home." Sanada intruded grabbing Yukimura by the arm to drag him away from their nosey teammates.

"You know, if I didn't have such high respects for those two, I'd say they were boyfriends." Marui stated.

"Nande?" Akaya asked confused.

"They're always together." Marui shrugged his shoulder.

"So does that mean Jackal-senpai is your boyfriend Marui-senpai?" Akaya asked innocently.

Yanagi and Yagyuu chuckled. Jackal blushed a little.

"Oi Akaya!" Marui grabbing the younger's collar and dragging him out of the courts. "Let's just go home."

"Ah! Marui-senpai that hurts." The freshman protested as he tried to get loose from his senpai's grip.

"…" Jackal exhaled and followed the two out of the courts.

"How about you Yagyuu-kun?" Yanagi asked the bespectacled boy as he himself was walking out of the court.

"I'll follow you guys soon." Yagyuu replied staying behind the court.

"Iiyo." Yanagi left the other in the court but watching him closely as he walked away.

Yagyuu stayed behind swinging his racket and thinking, _Why did I dream of her last night?_ He paused for a while twisted his neck to both sides, massaged his shoulders a bit before giving out a desperate sigh.

"Problem?" Niou suddenly appearing on the court, now changed into his school uniform.

"Niou-kun." Yagyuu turned surprised by the silverette's sudden appearance.

"Why did you stay behind? Are you loving tennis that much that you've gotten addicted to it?" Niou walked towards Yagyuu his hands in his pocket.

"Iie, I was just thinking." Yagyuu explained.

"Thinking about what?" Niou pressed.

Yagyuu adjusted his glasses, "A dream."

Niou's brow raised, "A dream?"

"Hai. A very unusual dream." Yagyuu furthered.

"What's the dream about?" Niou leaning his back on the fence.

"I don't think I should discuss it with you Niou-kun, no offense." Yagyuu shifted from where he was standing.

"It's about a girl isn't it?" Niou concluded on his own then started to walk out of the court, "Who would've thought the 'gentleman' dreams about girls."

Yagyuu blushed at the other's statement.

"Puri!" Niou nodded his head to signal Yagyuu to go home.

Yagyuu nodded then followed Niou out of the court.

-oOo-

Mayumi was in her favourite place in their classroom, the perfect place to watch the boy's tennis club practicing. Every day after classes, she would sit in that desk and secretly watch 'him' in the court. Because even if he seemed so distant from her, just watching him playing tennis made her smile.

"I see you're in your favourite place again." Yukimura said smiling at the purple haired girl.

"Seiichi-kun, you caught me again." Mayumi blushed.

"Do you want to watch up close?" Yukimura asked the girl.

"Iie, iie, I'm fine right here." Mayumi refused.

"You can get a better view up close." Yukimura insisted.

"Demo, I'm fine just watching from afar."

Yukimura walked closer until his face was about three inches from the girl's, "Mayumi-kun, I know you want to."

Mayumi blushed meagrely.

"So, I'm taking you to practice with me today." Yukimura then grabbed the girl's hand and dragged her to the tennis courts.

"Demo, Seiichi-kun, Demo—." Mayumi protested, but before she knew it she was just outside the tennis courts, with everyone looking at her and Yukimura.

"Minna, Mayumi-kun will be watching us today, iiyo?" Yukimura announced still holding the girls hand.

Sanada had his poker face on.

Yanagi's eyes snapped open.

Marui had a grin on his face.

Jackal blushed a little seeing the demigod holding Mayumi's hand.

Niou's brows furrowed a bit with the sight.

Yagyuu choked on his own saliva.

"Welcome to the tennis club practice Suzuki-senpai!" Akaya greeted joyfully.

"Well, it looks like Kirihara-kun is happy to see you here Mayumi-kun." Yukimura smiled at the girl still not letting go of her hand.

"Demo, won't I disturb your practice?" Mayumi asked shyly.

"None sense. Right minna?" Yukimura again addressed the group.

Everyone just nodded, except Niou who had already walked away to practice with one of their senpai's.

"Hope you enjoy watching the practice Suzuki-kun." Yanagi said finally recovering from the shock.

"Arigato Yanagi-kun." Mayumi smiled and nodded.

"You can sit here Suzuki-kun." Sanada offered a foldable chair where the girl could sit in the sidelines.

"Arigato Sanada-kun."

"Ja, I'll be practicing now Mayumi-kun, just call my attention if you need something iiyo?" Yukimura smiled at the girl before leaving to practice.

"Suzuki-kun." Yagyuu called when the rest of the group had all returned to practicing.

"Yagyuu-kun." Mayumi smiled, "I heard from Seiichi-kun that you've really gotten good at tennis."

"Ah, hai, Niou-kun has been helping me a lot in practice." Yagyuu shyly responded.

"Niou-kun?" Mayumi a bit surprised.

"Hai, he's actually a good guy once you get to know him." Yagyuu explained.

"Sou dane."

"Ja, I'll also be going back to practice now." Yagyuu excused himself.

Mayumi shifted her eyes from one player to another as she enjoyed watching the practice games, but there was one person she enjoyed watching up close, whether he was in the courts or not. _Seiichi-kun, arigato for dragging me to practice today._ She thought in her head as she tried to hide a smile as she stared at that certain someone who had inspired her to love watching tennis.

-oOo-

Sanada kept silent during their walk home.

Yukimura was smiling eerily, while watching the surroundings.

Sanada glanced at his best friend.

Yukimura smiled at him.

Sanada cleared his throat.

Yukimura was bobbing his head to an unheard music.

Sanada looked weirdly at the demigod.

Yukimura ignored Sanada's stare.

"Yukimura." Sanada being the first to surrender with their silent walk home.

"Nande Sanada?" Yukimura replied, the smile on his face not wavering.

"Why did you bring Suzuki-kun to practice today?" Sanada asked firmly.

"Because I wanted to." Yukimura replied like a spoiled brat.

"You know the implications of your action don't you?" Sanada reminded.

"I take responsibility for every action I take Sanada." Yukimura's smile widened.

Sanada massaged his temple; he was not winning this discussion at any expense, so he might as well just shut up about it.

"You worry too much Sanada." Yukimura patted his best friend's shoulder.

-oOo-

Mayumi was having a good day, she was early to school, she hasn't been involve in any misfortune yet; but she knew it was too early to be that cheerful because who know what would happen next.

"Suzuki." A male voice called her.

She stiffened, she knows that voice, and she slowly turned around to face the person calling her. She gulps before trying her best to sound happy, "Niou-kun, Ohayou!" she forced a smile.

"Can I ask you something?" Niou went direct to the point.

"Ano, sure." Mayumi replied with a confused look in her face.

"Are you dating Yukimura?" Niou asked without any hesitations.

"E?" Mayumi's eyes widened, her jaw dropped.

"Forget I asked." Niou left without waiting for a reply from her.

Mayumi was not quick enough to walk to their classroom, her face was so red with embarrassment and anger mixed that she could not contain herself that when she opened the door to their classroom, "Seiichi-kun!" she screamed.

Yukimura who was talking to one of their classmates lifted his head towards the girl, "Ohayou Mayumi-kun!"

"We need to talk!" the usually gentle soft-spoken Mayumi dragged the demigod out of their classroom to the rooftop garden.

"Mayumi-kun what's this about?" Yukimura looked at her with confused eyes.

"What did you tell the tennis club?" Mayumi's voice not dying down.

"I didn't tell them anything." Yukimura replied with a smile finally getting what the girl was so upset about.

"Then why did Niou-kun approach me today asking if we were dating? Don't they know that—?" Mayumi was cut off by Yukimura's finger on her lips.

"So, Niou was the one who asked you." Yukimura's eyes widened his smile eerie.

"It doesn't matter who asked, why would they think that?" Mayumi removed Yukimura's finger from her lips.

"Don't worry about it Mayumi-kun, I'll tell them what they need to know in this afternoon's practice." Yukimura assured the girl as he turned his back to go back to their classroom.

"You better!" Mayumi pouted and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Yukimura chuckled at the sight, "Kawaii ne." he teased, "Come on let's go back, class will start soon."

-oOo-

The team was watching Yukimura as they were doing their laps before practice.

"I think Yukimura-fukubuchou is really into Suzuki-senpai, he brought her to practice again." Akaya whispered to Marui and Jackal.

"Hmn." Jackal nodded.

"What do you think Yanagi?" Marui turning to the data master.

"Well, it's actually beneficial for us when Suzuki-kun is here." Yanagi replied.

"Nande?" Marui asked.

"Because Yukimura doesn't make us do extra laps when she's watching." Yanagi explained.

"Aa." Marui, Jackal and Akaya agreed.

Niou never took his eyes off Yukimura and Mayumi who were talking under a tree near the court.

Sanada groaned.

"Nande Sanada-kun?" Yagyuu asked the emperor as they were running side by side during the laps.

"Betsuni." Sanada replied.

Yagyuu then glanced at the two talking but immediately returned his eyes on the path they were running because he felt his chest got tighter from the sight.

"Oh, Suzuki-senpai is leaving!" Akaya pointed out as they turn the last curb of the final lap.

"Ah! She's not watching practice today?" Marui asked Jackal.

"How am I supposed to know?" Jackal replied.

"Probability that she has something important to do today 87%." Yanagi butted in.

Niou followed Mayumi with his eyes. So did Yagyuu and Sanada.

-oOo-

By the end of afternoon practice everyone couldn't help themselves and decided it was time to ask Yukimura.

"Seiichi." Yanagi was first to approach.

"Nande Renji?" Yukimura smiled at the data master.

"We were wondering about your relationship with Suzuki-kun." Yanagi asked directly.

Marui, Jackal, Akaya, Sanada and Yagyuu stared at the demigod waiting for a response. Niou kept himself busy with his locker combination.

"What about my relationship with Mayumi-kun?" Yukimura's smile widened knowing where this was heading.

Sanada rolled his eyes then went back to fixing his tennis bag.

Yanagi cleared his throat; he doesn't think he can be any more direct than he already was.

"Oh for crying out loud Yukimura, are you guys dating?" Marui said frustrated.

Yukimura chuckled then glanced at Sanada.

Sanada again rolled his eyes then shook his head.

Yagyuu was closely observing the two. Niou glanced at Yukimura.

"Iie." Yukimura replied.

"E?" was the disappointed response of the team.

"Chotto matte! Demo, you've been spending a lot of time hanging out with her." Yanagi pointed out.

"And you brought to practice holding her hand." Jackal added.

"And you're really really really nice when Suzuki-senpai is around." Akaya also added.

"What do you mean by that Akaya?" Yukimura's face suddenly became dark and dangerous.

"E? Ano, gomennasai fukubuchou." Akaya hid behind Marui and Jackal.

"Just tell them already!" Sanada commanded.

Niou and Yagyuu turned their head to Sanada.

"Oh sheesh Genechiro!" Yukimura rolled his eyes.

"Tell us what Yukimura-kun?" Yagyuu finally spoke up.

"Yeah, tell us what Yukimura?" Niou second.

"Well, I guess I have to now." Yukimura sighed.

"For goodness sake! Tarondurou!" Sanada irritatedly eyed his best friend.

"Yukimura the suspense is killing us." Yanagi stepping closer.

"She's my cousin." Yukimura said happily.

"E?" Marui, Jackal, Yanagi and Akaya's sweat drop.

"Puri!" Niou smiled then zip his tennis bag.

"I see." Yagyuu adjusted his glasses, smirked then closed his locker door.

"Demo, fukubuchou…" Akaya tried to explain.

"Mayumi-kun is the youngest daughter of my Oba-san. My Otou-san and her Okaa-san are siblings, that's why we have different surnames." Yukimura explained with a smile.

"Oooohhhhh…." Marui, Jackal, Yanagi and Akaya nodded their head.

Yukimura's smile widened, because despite being the center of attention, he was actually observing some other people's reactions. Because being the demigod that he was, he knew, someone would be very happy to hear what he just said.

**-oOo-**

**There, one confusing part of the story out of the way. So Mayumi's mother is older than Seiichi's father is, Mayumi is the youngest child while Seiichi is the oldest child.**


	5. Serene is to Chaos

**CHAPTER 4: Serene is to Chaos**

**DISCLAIMER: PoT is not mine.**

**-oOo-**

Niou Masaharu spent his vacant periods on the rooftop; he loved the silence in the rooftop. He loved watching people walking around from up there. He loved how the sun shone on him, how the wind seemed warmer, how the sky seemed closer. But what he loved the most about the rooftop, was, it was the only place where he could be free to dream about things, people, pranks, tennis, without anyone disturbing him.

"Niou-kun."

Or so he thought.

"What do you want Yaaaaaaaguu?" He purposely distorted the other boy's name.

"Did I disturb you?" Yagyuu asked noting the irritated tone of Niou's voice.

"Yah think?" was the response.

"Sumimasen. I just wanted to ask you something." Yagyuu reasoned out.

"What is it that you want to ask that you have to invade my happy place?" Niou leaned on the fence and crossed his arms.

"About what you said the other day after the Kantou finals." Yagyuu started.

"So? Interested in playing doubles?" Niou asked.

"I've considered it, and I think I'll take that offer." Yagyuu adjusted his glasses.

"We can start training soon, but since you're not in the regulars yet, we can't compete in tournaments yet." Niou explained.

"I understand perfectly Niou-kun." Yagyuu nodded then began to walk away.

"Yagyuu, can I ask you something?" Niou called out.

"Absolutely Niou-kun." Yagyuu turned towards the boy waiting for his next words.

Niou thought for a while before speaking up, "Never mind." Then turns his back on Yagyuu.

"Iiyo." Yagyuu confused, then walked down from the rooftop.

Back in his silence and alone time, Niou went back to sightseeing, when he spotted a familiar purple head walking out of the library. Unconsciously he smiles, and for some unexplained reason his heart was lighter.

-oOo-

Yagyuu Hiroshi loved to read, but when he was not reading, he would observe people. He didn't need silence or alone time to do that, his eyes would dance from one person to another closely monitoring their movements and facial reactions. He could tell your life story just by observing you move from one part of the room to another. He didn't mind being disturbed in his observing; he welcomed everyone with a smile.

"Yagyuu-kun." Yanagi called out.

"Yanagi-kun, nande?"

"I wanted to go over some things for the tennis club with you."

"Sure, what is it about?" he willingly offered his help.

He rarely rejected any one who asked for his help. He was happier that way, being helpful and approachable.

"Yagyuu-senpai."

"Kirihara-kun, can I help you with anything?"

"Ano, Yagyuu-senpai, I need help with my English home work." Akaya replied scratching his head a bit.

"I thought Yanagi-kun helped you with English?"

"Ano, Yanagi-senpai is a bit busy today, do you mind helping me out with this?"

"Of course Kirihara-kun, here let me see that."

He was the gentleman, and to that nickname he perfectly moved to every rhythm.

"Yagyuu, can you do some extra errands for me today?"

"Hai, Watanabe-sensei."

"I need to finish checking these papers, so can you facilitate the student council meeting today? I don't think I'll make it."

"No problems sensei."

Yes, indeed he enjoyed living his life that way. But in the middle of all that, there was something bothering Yagyuu, a certain feeling he was unsure of, triggered by a certain purple head that he often bumps into in the hallway.

-oOo-

Suzuki Mayumi was used to being ignored; she was used to being invisible and unnoticed. She was the complete opposite if her cousin Yukimura Seiichi, who was popular, admired and loved. She was contented being in the shadows, because she believed her life was easier that way. But her world changed when one silverette decided that she would be the target of his "affection", a.k.a. his favourite pranks target.

"Puri!"

"Argh! Goo again." She cried.

She was so used to that abnormal attention she was getting, she felt abandoned when he suddenly decided his new favourite target would be Kirihara Akaya, leaving her back in the shadows.

"Suzuki-kun, ohayou!"

"Ohayou Yagyuu-kun!"

"Did Niou-kun bother you today?"

"Iie, arigato for asking Yagyuu –kun."

Then there came the gentleman, who showed her concern and attention, without the pranks and tricks, just plain attention and friendship. But then again, he was friendly and a gentleman to everyone, not just to her. Being so, she felt she had no right to own that attention.

Something inside her felt uneasy. She would smile whenever she sees the gentleman, but her heart would beat fast when she sees the trickster. She became confused. And now her silent happy world was a mess.

-oOo-

"Suzuki."

"Niou-kun."

"Going home?"

"Hai, you?"

"Tennis practice isn't over yet."

"Demo, why are you here?" she asked confused.

"Just walking around." He continued to stare at her.

She felt uncomfortable being stared at by the trickster, "I-I'll be going on ahead then Niou-kun, gambatte ne?" she begins to walk away, then stops and turns around, "And, Niou-kun omedetou for winning the Kantou finals, I heard your opponent didn't even score a point."

Niou smirked, "Be careful going home Suzuki." He turns and leaves.

Mayumi stared at the tricksters back, she was more confused. _Why did he become so nice all of a sudden?_

From somewhere a pair of eyes hiding behind oval spectacles watched, grasping his tennis racket tightly.

"Something you want won't come to you if you just stare at it from afar." Yukimura suddenly spoke.

"Yukimura-kun." He turns surprised.

"How long are you going to stare from afar Yagyuu? I see Niou has already made his move." Yukimura steps up beside the other boy watching the trickster walking back to court and the purple head girl standing near the school gates staring at the silverette's back.

Yagyuu clear his throat, "What do you mean Yukimura-kun?" he tries to deny.

"Yagyuu, why don't you even try?" Yukimura smiled then patted the other on the shoulder before heading back to the court, "If you're not even going to try, then you best stop staring."

Yagyuu turns around to look at the demigod walking away, then turns to look at the trickster who had a smirk on his face, then back to the purple head who was now walking out of their school gates. He sighs then walks back to the courts.

-oOo-

"Suzuki-kun."

Mayumi lifted her head to find Yagyuu smiling at her holding his bento.

"Do you mind if I seat here?"

"Iie, go ahead." Mayumi replied closely watching Yagyuu who was settling in across from her in the cafeteria.

"How is your day so far?" Yagyuu gladly asked as he opened his bento.

"It's okay I guess." Mayumi replied uncomfortably.

People passing by couldn't help but look at the two seated in the farthest corner of the cafeteria.

"Ano, Yagyuu-kun, daijabou?" Mayumi asked the boy who was quietly eating his lunch.

"Hai. Nande?" Yagyuu stopped eating and stared at the girl.

"Ano, you usually eat with the guys from the tennis club, but now you're here with me." She shyly explained.

"Don't you want me to eat lunch with you?" Yagyuu adjusted his glasses.

"Iie, iie, I was just surprised."

"Iiyo, I can leave if you want." Yagyuu offered.

"Mind if I join you two?" Niou appeared holding his bento.

"Niou-kun?" the two said in unison.

Niou had already settled himself in on the table.

Awkward silence followed, only the sound of chopstick on their respective bentos could be heard.

From across the cafeteria a pair of blue eyes was watching happily.

"Yukimura, what are you doing?" Sanada asked with a frown as he too was watching the events that were happening.

"I'm eating lunch." Yukimura replied innocently.

Sanada crossed his arms and stared at Yukimura.

"Nani?" Yukimura asked with a mischievous smile.

"What's with the staring competition?" Yanagi asked the two as he arrived with Akaya carrying their respective bentos.

"Sanada's being impenetrable again." Yukimura replied to Yanagi.

"Genechiro, you need to learn to lighten up." Yanagi stated as he sat beside Sanada.

"Oi minna!" Marui greeted the group as he arrived with Jackal.

"What's with the strange atmosphere?" Jackal inquired.

"Sanada-senpai has been staring at Yukimura-fukubuchou since we arrived Jackal-senpai." Akaya explained his mouth half full with lunch.

"Akaya, don't talk when there's food in your mouth!" Sanada reprimanded then went back to staring at Yukimura.

"Oh, Niou and Yagyuu aren't here yet." Marui noted the two's absence.

"Oh their here." Yukimura replied playfully.

"Where?" Akaya turned his head from side to side.

Yukimura pointed to the other end of the cafeteria.

The regulars turned towards the direction that Yukimura was pointing and noted Niou and Yagyuu seated in a table with Mayumi.

"What are those two doing there?" Marui asked.

"Having lunch with my cousin, you got a problem with that Marui?" Yukimura replied dangerously.

"Iie, no problem at all Yukimura." Marui replied slightly hiding behind Jackal.

"Yukimura." Sanada said firmly.

"Nani?"

Sanada's eyes narrowed.

"They're just having lunch Sanada." Yukimura reasoned out.

Marui, Jackal, Akaya and Yanagi looked at each other, they were confused at what was happening but they had a pretty good idea what was going on.

**-oOo-**

**Short chapter. Saving the longer chapters for later.**


	6. Sweet is to Bitter

**CHAPTER 5: Sweet is to Bitter**

**DISCLAIMER: PoT ain't mine, if it was, Niou would have been a girl, and Yagyuu would be her knight in shining armor! LOL ^_^v**

**-oOo-**

Summer was always a happy time of year, it can be too hot at times, but the sun was just perfect today. The day of the National tournament championship. Rikkai was in high spirit, aiming for their second consecutive National title. And it was looking good, Sanada had already won Singles 3 and Niou and Yagyuu were currently playing Doubles 2. It was already 5-0 in favour of Rikkai and just one more rally and they were one win away from the title.

Mayumi was happy watching and cheering for their team along with fellow students, admittedly she was enjoying Doubles 2 more than he did Singles 3, no offense to Sanada, but he wasn't exactly her cup of tea, again, no offense to her cousin who just happened to be his best friend.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself Suzuki-kun." Yagyuu tells the girl sited beside her.

"Hai. I really find tennis interesting Yagyuu-kun, I envy you for trying and really getting good at it." She replies happily.

"Maybe you should try as well." Yagyuu encouraged her.

"Seiichi-kun did offer me private lessons, demo, I don't want to waste his time, I'm no good at sports." Mayumi timidly explained.

"Ah, you won't be able to tell unless you try first Suzuki-kun." Yagyuu continued to encourage her.

Niou was re-tying his laces when he noticed the two seated on the bleachers. _Get into the regulars already so you don't have to sit in the bleachers with her. _He told Yagyuu in his mind, he flinched at how happy the two looked, this of course did not escape Yanagi's eyes. The two got back in court to finish off the game.

"Ano, Yagyuu-kun, can I ask you something about Niou-kun?" Mayumi asks the boy seated beside him.

He felt a slight pinch in his heart, but he replied none the less, "Sure."

"Is his personality really as contradicting as I see it? I mean, he was mean to me one minute, then he's all friendly the next." Mayumi explained.

"Well, Suzuki-kun, Niou-kun like any other person has a diverse personality. That's what makes him unique and special. Just as you are meek and quiet, but I'm sure if called for and needed you can be bold and strong." Yagyuu explained.

"He's your complete opposite Yagyuu-kun, your kind, and a gentleman; you're helpful and smart and friendly and approachable. He's…just…so different." Mayumi looks at Niou who was still rallying against a player from Shitenhouji.

Yagyuu felt warm in his heart, but despite this still defended Niou, "I've come to know Niou-kun a bit more when I joined the tennis club, and he's not such a bad guy as everyone thinks."

"Ne, Yagyuu-kun, you being you, you're any girls ideal man, why don't you have a girl friend?" Mayumi asked, then realized how frank she was, "Oh, gomennasai Yagyuu-kun."

Yagyuu blushed at the question, he clears his throat, adjusts his glasses and manages to find the right words to say, "There's a girl I'm interested in, maybe, I'm just trying to find the right time to tell her." He reasons out.

"She would be a very lucky girl." Mayumi smiles.

"Arigato." Yagyuu turns away to hide the extreme blush he had on his face.

Niou was getting irritated on the court from all the smiling and blushing between the two that he decided to hit a finishing shot and end the game.

"Sugoi!" Mayumi's eyes widened at Niou's last shot.

"Puri!" Niou smirked on the court while Yanagi was staring at him.

"Game and Match Rikkai Dai Fuzoku, Yanagi-Niou pair 6 games to love." The referee announced.

Yagyuu simply adjusted his glasses.

Yukimura chuckled at how Niou was showing off.

-oOo-

Yukimura finished off the match at Singles 2, and Rikkai bagged their second consecutive National title.

"Mou, Yukimura-fukubuchou, we didn't even get to play." Akaya complained who was supposed to play Doubles 1 with Marui.

"Stop complaining Akaya, we won, and we didn't even sweat." Declared Marui.

Yukimura chuckled then noticed Mayumi who was already walking towards the exit. "Mayumi-kun!" he calls her.

Mayumi stops in his steps and turns to her cousin, "Nande Seiichi-kun?"

"The team is celebrating the victory, would you care to join us?" Yukimura asks.

Yanagi was quick to observe Yagyuu and Niou's reactions to the invite.

Yagyuu lowered his head, while Niou was turned and appeared to be talking on the phone.

"Ano, arigato Seiichi-kun, but it almost a three hours train ride from Osaka to Yokohama, I'll just go ahead." Mayumi refused the offer.

"Iiyo, be careful, make sure you ride with our schoolmates." Yukimura waved at his cousin.

"Ja." Mayumi waved back.

"Ja, Suzuki-senpai!" Akaya shouted, because for some reason, Akaya was very fond of Yukimura's cousin, maybe because when she was around Sanada seemed nicer to him.

"Ja, Kirihara-kun, Minna." She smiled and waved at the group.

Niou at this point pretends to end his phone call.

The group was already walking out of the stadium when Niou suddenly speaks up, "I can't come with you guys to eat."

Everyone turns to look at Niou who was typing something on his phone.

"Is something wrong Niou-kun?" Yagyuu asked the silverette.

"Obaa-san said I should go home as soon as the game is over, important family thing." Niou waved his phone as if to say his Obaa-san messaged him.

"Iiyo, Niou, be careful going home, maybe you can still catch up with the other Rikkai student in the train station." Yukimura responded.

Yanagi was watching Yagyuu's reaction, but the gentleman was stern about it.

"Ja, I'll see you in school minna." Niou waved goodbye then started running towards the train station.

"Do you think Niou-senpai's Obaa-san really messaged him?" Akaya asked being suspicious of his senpai's actions.

"Well, Niou isn't known for his being the 'obedient son' act, but I guess he wouldn't make up such an excuse." Marui reasoned.

"Minna, let him be, if he says his Obaa-san messaged him, so she did." Yukimura ended the discussion, but had a grin on his face.

Sanada glares at Yukimura, he didn't buy Niou's excuse, but he knew Yukimura was planning something else.

Yagyuu walked at the end of the group, carefully glancing backwards to the direction of the train station, he had a hunch that Niou only made up that excuse, but he didn't want to speculate.

-oOo-

Niou ran so fast to catch up to the train, he was tired from the game, but he just had to run. Once he got on the train, he searched for the purple head. And as expected, no one was sitting beside her, she was after all a lone wolf.

"Can I sit here?" he asks.

Mayumi was surprised, not only by the question, but by who was asking the question. "N-Niou-kun?"

"Can I sit here?" he repeated.

"A-Ano, iiyo."

He settles himself in.

"Ano, Niou-kun, aren't you celebrating with the team?" Mayumi looks at the boy sitting beside him in shock.

"Iie, urgent phone call from home." Niou replied coldly.

"Oh." Mayumi turned her head towards the window.

The train ride to Kyoto was quiet, and uncomfortable for Mayumi. Niou was different, he was nice, but menacing at the same time. Unlike Yagyuu. Yagyuu was warm and easy to sit beside with.

By the time they reached Kyoto, Mayumi was able to breathe better, _At last, we're transferring trains, maybe he'll find someone to sit with in the next train, or maybe take a different train. Ah! I know, I'll take the slower train, he's sure to take the faster train since he got an urgent phone call from home._ She thought to herself.

"Oi Suzuki! Aren't you getting off?" Niou asks her as she was still staring out the window.

"Ah!" she jumps to stand, "Arigato, I didn't notice."

"Oi, Oi, travelling alone on the train with your mind flying like that. I better ride with you on the next train as well, some jerk might try to get the best of you and Yukimura would kill me if he ever found out I left you travelling alone with that state of mind you have." Niou grabbed her forearm and almost dragged her to the next train.

"E?" Mayumi's eyes widened as she stared at Niou's hand holding her forearm. _Niou-kun._ Her heart beat so fast she felt like fainting.

Niou drags her and gets on the slower train.

"Demo Niou-kun you said you had an urgent phone call from home, shouldn't you take the faster train?" Mayumi tried to shoo Niou.

"You're taking this one right?" Niou turned to ask her.

"H-Hai."

"So I'm taking this one." Niou smirked then continued walking trying to find a seat for both of them. "Here, let's sit here." Niou lets her sit first.

"I-Iiyo." She replies and slowly settles in the sit close to the window.

There was silence between them until the train began to move.

"Ne, Suzuki, I'm a bit tired from the game, do you mind if I sleep through the train ride home?" Niou asked the girl.

_Demo, you said you were riding with me because my mind was flying and I shouldn't travel alone?_ She thought to herself but smiled and nodded, "Iiyo."

"Wake me up if a snore." Niou closes his eyes and leans his head on the backrest.

"Iiyo." Mayumi looks out the window.

It was peaceful for the first fifteen minutes of the train ride home, that was until Niou's head rested on Mayumi's shoulder. Mayumi's eyes widened, she felt something heavy on her shoulder and she knew what it was, she slowly turned her head towards the heavy object and true enough, it was Niou's silver hair that greeted her. _Oh my! He's really asleep._ She didn't know what to do, _Should I move his head? But if I do he might wake up, and he said he was tired. Demo. Oh Kami-sama, nande? Nande?_ She stares at the sleeping boy on her shoulder and thinks to herself, _Niou-kun looks so peaceful. _Hesitantly she removed a few silver hair covering his face, from the angle she was looking at, the trickster looked more like an angel. She then realizes she was staring at the boy and turns her head back towards the window, and just let's Niou sleep on her shoulder.

Niou, who was only pretending to be asleep had a smirk on his face.

-oOo-

The day after the Nationals, Mayumi was busy fixing her things getting ready to go home after class.

"How was the train ride home Mayumi-kun?" Yukimura asked his cousin.

Mayumi began to blush, remembering how Niou slept on her shoulder until they got off the train in Yokohama.

"Nande?" Yukimura asked with an eerie smile.

"Betsuni." Mayumi turned to hide her face.

"Did you enjoy traveling on your own?" Yukimura asked again.

"It was peaceful." Was the cold response.

"Niou didn't celebrate with us, said his Obaa-san messaged him to go home immediately after the games were done." Yukimura was phishing.

Mayumi stopped what she was doing and turned to face her cousin who still had that eerie smile on his face, "I know, he was on the train with me." She admitted.

Yukimura got the answer he wanted to hear and his smile widened. "So, did you two have a good chat? It was almost three hours that you were together on a train home."

"He mostly slept." Was the blunt answer.

"Oh really?"

"Seiichi-kun—." She whined.

Yukimura chuckles.

Mayumi frowns.

"Are you still confused Mayumi-kun?" Yukimura playfully asked his cousin.

"What do you mean?" the girl asked more confused.

"I know." Was the simple reply.

"You know what?"

"Mayumi-kun, I'm your cousin." Yukimura tilted his head to the left and smiled.

"So?"

Yukimura sighed, sometimes, his cousin can be clueless, "Mayumi-kun, I know you've had a crush on Niou since the first year, and despite being his favourite pranks target, you saw it as, 'at least he notices me'." Yukimura explained.

Mayumi blushed deep red.

"Demo, Yagyuu came into the picture. He was kind and caring, a gentleman, and he always helped you, whenever Niou would play tricks on you. He defended you when our schoolmates tease you." Yukimura continued.

"I really hate when you do that Seiichi-kun." Mayumi crossed her arms.

"Do what?"

"Read my mind."

Yukimura chuckled, then continued. "Demo, Niou started hanging out with Yagyuu. Then he stopped pestering you, and you started to miss Niou, and his weird attention. Demo Yagyuu, Yagyuu was still there defending you and being nice to you. Then one day Niou suddenly became nice and friendly to you—"

"Iiyo, that's enough!" Mayumi covered her ears.

Yukimura ignored her, "So you started comparing Niou to Yagyuu, you started wishing that Niou was more like Yagyuu, but deep inside you missed the playful trickster who has been welcoming you with goo of every thinkable color every morning." Yukimura waited for a response.

Mayumi began singing 'la, la, la' to drown out his voice.

"You felt Yagyuu was kinder, and more ideal and admirable. But, somehow, you couldn't get Niou out of your mind." Yukimura continued.

Mayumi stops singing, "You know sometimes I hate you." She frowned.

Yukimura wraps his arm around his cousin's shoulders, "Whatever are you going to do dear cousin?"

"I don't know!" Mayumi buries her face on his cousin's sturdy shoulder.

Yukimura pats her on the back, grabs her bag, and they went home.

**-oOo-**

**Please don't be confused, this was set in the National Tournament on their second year in Rikkai, if I understand it correctly that year Rikkai went against Shitenhouji in the finals.**

**I wrote that the Nationals were held in Osaka that year since it was never mentioned in the series. Mayumi took a train from Osaka to Kyoto which is about 30 minutes, then transferred to another train in Kyoto going to Shin-Yokohama station (which is in the Kanagawa Prefecture, where Rikkai is located) which is about 2 hours to 2 hours and 22 minutes depending on which train you take. So there, hope that clarifies some facts about this chapter and please do correct me if my research is wrong or is lacking info.**


	7. Smooth is to Rough

**CHAPTER 6: Smooth is to Rough**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**-oOo-**

Mayumi sat by the window of their classroom like always, watching the boy's tennis club practice like always. Even if she knew Yukimura would let her watch up close, she wasn't sure she wanted to. So she continuous to watch from afar. Her heart leaps when he saw two figures step into the court for a practice match.

"Yaaaaagyuu, think you can beat me?" Niou challenges the ginger head.

"We won't know until try, won't we Niou-kun?" Yagyuu replies.

"Ne, why do I have a feeling those two are talking about something other than tennis?" Jackal asks no one in particular.

"What do you mean Jackal-senpai?" Akaya scratched his head.

"I don't think they'd go as far as having a match to settle something like that." Yanagi defended.

"Settle what Yanagi-senpai?" Akaya asked again.

"Best you didn't know Akaya." Marui patted the boy's back.

"Know what?" Akaya getting more confused.

"Oh, they're at it." Yukimura commented as he steps into the courts with Sanada.

"Should we stop them?" Yanagi asked the demigod.

"Nande?" Yukimura replied.

"Demo, Seiichi." Yanagi complained.

"Renji, do you honestly think Yagyuu would stoop so low as to settle this matter with a match?" Yukimura defended.

"You have a point." Yanagi backed-down a little.

Sanada snorted.

"Settle what?" Akaya asked in severe confusion.

"Dou, never thought Niou would come to this." Marui commented.

"Marui, Niou is still human after all." Yukimura replied.

"Come to what?" Akaya despserate for an answer.

"Leave them alone." Sanada reprimanded the group.

"Ne, Sanada how are things with you and Seiichi's imouto?" Yanagi asked, completely disregarding Sanada's deadly stare.

"W-Wh-Wha-? Sanada?" Marui and Jackal surprised with the latest news.

"Oh you guys didn't know?" Yukimura chuckled.

"Sanada-senpai? You're dating Yukimura-fukubuchou's imouto?" Akaya asked his eyes wide as saucers.

"Tarundurou!" Sanada walks away from the group blushing.

Yukimura looks at Yanagi and they both chuckle.

"They're not dating are they?" Marui asked with a very disappointed look on his face.

"Iie." Yanagi and Yukimura replied.

"Aw, and here I was thinking Sanda-senpai had a heart!" Akaya complained.

"Oh he has one Kirihara-kun, just not obvious about it." Yukimura defended.

"Game and Match Niou, six games to four." One of their team mates announced.

"Oh, it's finished already?" Yanagi wrote down on his notebook.

"Looks like it's Niou's win this time." Yukimura commented, "Renji, let's go play a match."

"Puri!" Niou shakes Yagyuu's hands.

"Niou-kun." Yagyuu grabs Niou's hands tightly.

The silverette stares at his doubles partner.

"Do you love her?" Yagyuu asked.

"What are you saying Yagyuu?"

"You know what I mean. Answer the question Niou-kun." Yagyuu said firmly not letting go of Niou's hands.

"Maybe." The silverette replied and snatched his hand away from Yagyuu.

"Don't hurt her Niou-kun." Yagyuu firmly said.

"Piyo!" Niou replied then walked away.

"They looked like they were having a discussion about 'that'." Marui commented to Jackal.

"Hmn. Well, we'll just have to watch and see." Jackal signalled Marui to get on the court to play a match.

"Watch and see what?" Akaya who was left alone in the sidelines asked, "Mou! The senpai-tachi are being to mysterious today!" Akaya whined.

-oOo-

"Suzuki." Niou called the girl who was walking to the cafeteria for lunch.

"Niou-kun, nande?" the confused girl stopped and turned towards the silverette.

"Mind if I eat lunch with you?" Niou asked with a smirk.

Mayumi stared at Niou with a very confused look.

"What's so confusing about my question?" Niou asked.

"Betsuni. I guess I'm just a bit surprised." Mayumi admitted.

"So, can I?" Niou asked again.

"Iiyo." Mayumi nodded and they walked together towards the cafeteria.

Niou was whistling as they walked.

Mayumi felt really uncomfortable from all the stares everyone was giving them.

"Ne, Suzuki, we don't have tennis practice today, mind if I walk you home?" Niou asked frankly.

Mayumi almost choked on her own saliva with the question.

"Daijabou?" Niou asked the girl who suddenly turned pale to blue.

"H-Hai, daijabou desu." Mayumi replied trying to catch her breathe.

"So, is it okay with you?" Niou asked a little softer.

"Ano, I guess so." Mayumi replied with a blush.

"Good, I'll go by your classroom after class iiyo?" Niou declared without looking at the girl.

Mayumi stared at the boy walking beside her, her eyes bewildered at the boy's actions, "Iiyo."

From a distance a pair of silver beady eyes hidden behind oval glasses stare at them with sadness.

-oOo-

The final bell rang that day and Mayumi remained sited frozen in her chair.

"Nande?" Yukimura asked his cousin.

"Huh?" Mayumi replied.

"You were staring at your desk and has been pretty quiet since we came back from lunch." Yukimura said with a smile.

"Hontou? I was not." Mayumi denied.

Yukimura smiled a sly smile, "Mayumi-kun are you seriously going to lie to your dear old cousin?" he teased.

Mayumi gave him a death glare.

"I saw you and Niou during lunch, what did he say?" Yukimura intrigued her.

"Seiichi-kun, isn't that a question I would expect a girl to ask?" Mayumi rebutted.

"Demo, you do not have any girl friends to ask you that now do you dear cousin?" Yukimura slyly teased.

"Shut up already!" Mayumi replied irritated.

"Suzuki, you ready?" Niou called out from the door.

Yukimura turned his head towards the door and smiled at Niou; he then turned to Mayumi and whispered, "So that's why." Then he walked away whistling.

Mayumi stared at her cousins back wanting to strangulate him.

"Suzuki?" Niou called again.

"Huh? Hai." She stood up and grabbed her bag. "Ja ne Seiichi-kun."

"Bye bye." Yukimura waved at the two with a very mischievously smile.

"Ja, Yukimura." Niou replied with a smirk.

Yukimura chuckled.

Mayumi walked on without looking back or even slowing down to wait for Niou.

Sanada appeared at the door staring at the Silverete and Purple-head walking away, then turned his head to Yukimura, "Aren't those—?"

"Hai." Yukimura replied without letting Sanada finish his sentence.

"Hmn." Was all Sanada could say.

"Sa, let's go Sanada." Yukimura walked on out of the room.

"So your plan is working perfectly I see." Sanada declared.

"What plan?" Yukimura turned to his best friend with the most innocent smile he could manage.

Sanada groaned and just kept his mouth shut.

Yukimura merely chuckled with his best friends reaction.

-oOo-

"Yagyuu-senpai." Akaya called to the ginger head.

No response.

"Yagyuu-senpai, daijabou?" Akaya repeated.

Still no response.

"Yagyuu-senpai!" Akaya waved his hands infront of the older boy's face.

"Huh? Oh, Kirihara-kun, gomen, did you need anything?" Yagyuu finally realizing the younger boy's presence.

"Mou! Are you feeling alright Yagyuu-senpai?"

"Hai, just thinking about something." Yagyuu adjusted his glasses.

Akaya was silent for a moment before deciding to ask anyway, "Yagyuu-senpai, by any chance were you thinking about Suzuki-senpai and Niou-senpai walking home together yesterday?"

Yagyuu looked at the younger boy, "What was it that you needed Kirihara-kun?"

"J-Just a practice match senpai." Akaya shyly replied.

"Iiyo." Yagyuu stood up and walked to the court.

Akaya followed him, still wondering.

-oOo-

"Bowing out already Yagyuu?" Yukimura asked the boy as they were the only two left in the locker room after practice.

"What do you mean Yukimura-kun?" Yagyuu tried to deny what was in his mind.

"Come on Yagyuu, how long are you going to pretend that we don't already know what's going on here?" Yukimura continued to interrogate the ginger head.

"Yukimura-kun, I know when I am not needed." Yagyuu bitterly replied.

"Ah, so you think you are not needed then?" Yukimura asked.

Yagyuu simply sighed.

"Yagyuu, did you even try?" Yukimura closed his locker door.

"How can I even try when there is someone else already there?" Yagyuu reasoned out.

"Is that even a reason?" Yukimura argued.

"Yukimura-kun."

"How will you know that answer if you never ask?" Yukimura patted the ginger head's shoulder before walking out of the locker room.

Yagyuu followed him with his eyes. _How do I even ask, when I'm too afraid to hear the answer in the first place._

-oOo-

"Hmn." Yanagi murmured as he watched Niou and Yagyuu on the court against Marui and Jackal.

Sanada was quietly sitting beside him.

"Genechiro, tell me you don't notice anything weird about those two?" Yanagi told the boy beside him.

"Which two are we talking about?" Sanada sternly replied.

"Niou and Yagyuu of course, it's not like anything weirder could ever happen to Marui and Jackal." Yanagi sarcastically replied.

"They make a good doubles pair." Sanada replied, grabbed his racket then walked away to shout at some first year who were slacking off.

"Averting me again Genichiro." Yanagi called out to the boy, but was completely ignored.

"I see Sanada has one of his moods again." Yukimura stated with a chuckle.

"Seiichi, I know you know something." Yamagi faced their fukubuchou.

"Of course I know a lot of things Renji, but that doesn't mean I'm telling you." Yukimura teased.

"Seiichi." Yanagi followed after the boy who walked over to Kirihara.

"Akaya, let's play a match." Yukimura called out.

"Oh, iiyo fukubuchou." Akaya happily obliged.

"That is something that you and Genechiro share Seiichi, your aversion to my questions." Yanagi complained.

"I have no idea what your talking about." Yukimura smiled and proceeded to serve.

Akaya was busy staring at his Yanagi-senpai's reaction that he didn't notice the ball flying towards him hitting him on the face and dropped unconscious in the court.

"Akaya!" Yanagi screamed, everyone else ran to the Akaya's side of the court.

"Oi Akaya, Daijabou?" Marui shook the younger boy.

"Akaya! Akaya!" Jackal tapped the boy's cheeks

"Yukimura-kun, I think you may have killed Kirihara-kun." Yagyuu said as he adjusted his glasses.

"Piyo!" Niou poked Akaya with his racket.

"Stop hovering around him and take him to the infirmary already!" Sanada shouted at the group.

Marui, Jackal and Yagyuu carried the boy to the infirmary.

"Oi, Oi, Yukimura, didn't think you were that deadly." Niou teased the bluenette.

"Would you like to try it with you then Niou?" Yukimura replied.

The silverette merely smirked then followed the others to the infirmary.

"What did you do?" Sanada faced his best friend.

"I was playing tennis. If you need to blame someone, blame Renji, it was his fault." Yukimura replied then turned to walk away.

"Ore?" Yanagi pointed to himself. "What did I do?"

Sanada felt his head was about to burst and just followed the others to the infirmary, he did need an aspirin for his headache anyway.

-oOo-

"Suzuki, wait up!" Niou called out to the girl who was about to exit the gate of the school.

"Niou-kun."

"Let me walk you home again." Niou said catching up to the girl.

"Is practice finished already?"

"We had end early since your cousin almost killed Akaya." Niou chuckled remembering the events at that afternoon's practice.

"Oh yeah, I heard about that." Suzuki chuckled as well.

"Ahum." A voice was heard from behind them.

"Yagyuu-kun, Konnichiwa. Going home as well?" Mayumi gladly greeted the boy.

"You need something, Yaaaaaagyuu?" Niou distorted the other boys name again.

"Just walking to the bus stop." Yagyuu replied.

"Demo Yagyuu, isn't your home close? Why do you need to go to the bus station?" Mayumi clarified.

"Aren't you taking the bus Suzuki-kun?" Yagyuu replied.

"Ano, hai."

"Well then, I guess I'll be walking you to the bus station then." Yagyuu declared.

Niou gave Yagyuu a glare.

Yagyuu ignored Niou.

"Oh, Iiyo." Suzuki smiled at the boy. _Kami-sama did they really have to walk me to the bus station? I can walk by my self you know._

"Mou! Isn't that Yagyuu-senpai and Niou-senpai walking with Suzuki-senpai?" Akaya pointed out to Marui and Jackal.

"It is isn't it?" Marui smiled naughtily.

"So that's what's going on." Jackal concluded and nodded to Marui who nodded back.

"What's going on?" Akaya asked but was ignored by Marui and Jackal.

"Let's go home Akaya." Marui said as he and Jackal walked on ahead.

"Senpai, what's going on?" Akaya insisted.

**-oOo-**


	8. Persistent is to Yielding

**CHAPTER 7: Persistent is to Yielding**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies.**

**-oOo-**

"Come on just put it on already!" Marui insisted as they were busy laughing at Niou who successfully impersonated Sanada.

"I don't think I can pull it off." Yagyuu hesitated.

"Don't be such a kill-joy Yaaaagyuu." Niou teased.

"Just put it on already!" Marui forced the blue wig into Yagyuu's head.

"Take off your glasses Yagyuu-senpai." Akaya said trying hard not to fall off his seat.

"The jersey has to be on his shoulder." Jackal pointed out also trying his best not to laugh.

"Put some fake lashes in Yagyuu's eyes!" Marui instructed Niou.

"Iie! No fake lashes!" Yagyuu resisted.

"Demo you won't look completely like him if you don't." Niou argued.

"Just for fun Yagyuu-senpai." Akaya said his face red from holding in his laughter.

After a few minutes of battling and a few groans and elbows, Marui and Niou were able to put the fake lashes on Yagyuu's eyelids.

"Now say it." Marui demanded.

"What do I say?" Yagyuu faced the group who were all gasping for air from looking at him.

"Say 'Sanada'." Niou replied in between gasps of air.

"Sanada." Yagyuu said in his best impersonation of Yukimura's voice. This of course caused Marui, Jackal, Niou and Akaya to almost pee in their shorts.

A knock was heard from the door.

"Oh crap!" Marui stopped laughing first.

"They're here." Jackal began to pick up the wigs and props that were scattered on the floor.

"Hide everything!" Akaya running around the clubroom picking up stuffs here and there.

"Just a minute." Yagyuu called out, totally forgetting that he was in a costume as Yukimura.

"Ano, its Mayumi, is Seiichi-kun there?" the female voice was heard from the door.

Yagyuu went pale.

Niou's eyes widened.

"He's not here." Marui shouted.

"Oh, iiyo." Mayumi replied then began to walk away when she noticed a blue haired boy standing inside the clubroom from the window, "Seiichi-kun I can see your hair from here you know. Come on I really need to talk to you. Please."

"Oh shoot!" Jackal pointed at Yagyuu who was still wearing the blue wig.

Everyone scrambled to try to hide Yagyuu.

"Yukimura's not here!" Niou replied.

"Niou-kun is that you? I can see his hair from the window. Come on can you guys just sent him out, please." Mayumi continued to knock on the door.

"Suzuki-kun, why are you here?" Yanagi asked as he walked to the clubroom seeing the girl at the door.

"Oh, Yanagi-kun do you have a key to this door? The guys won't let Seiichi-kun out and I know he's in there." Mayumi asked pointing at the doorknob.

"Demo, Seiichi—." Yanagi stopped at midsentence as he opened the door to the clubroom and saw a blue haired boy with his back to them standing behind Niou and Jackal. Yanagi's brows frown, he was pretty sure he left Yukimura and Sanada in the classroom talking to the principal about winter training.

"Seiichi-kun, I really need to talk to you about—." Mayumi stopped talking noting how the bluenette won't turn around; he usually would when he hears her voice. "Daijabou Seiichi-kun?"

"He's okay; he just has this itch in his throat so he doesn't feel like speaking right now." Marui gave as an excuse.

"Oh, he doesn't need to talk I just need him to listen." Mayumi smiled at Marui.

"Demo, Yukimura-fukubuchou has a cold, you might get it too Suzuki-senpai, maybe you can talk tomorrow?" Akaya tried to shoo the girl.

"Won't he still have a cold tomorrow anyway?" Mayumi reasoned out.

Yanagi's eyes searched the room, and spotted a raven colored wig sticking out of Niou's locker, and he knew what was going on. He looks at Niou and Marui as if to say 'I know what you were doing' then turned to speak to Mayumi, "If it's urgent that you need to talk to Seiichi, then we'll be leaving you two to talk." Yanagi's eyes snapped open and signalled Marui, Jackal, Niou and Akaya to step out of the room.

"Demo Yanagi-senpai, that's not—." Akaya was stopped by Marui and Jackal's hands covering his mouth and dragging him out of the clubroom.

"Right, let's leave the cousins alone to talk." Marui said as he and Jackal dragged Akaya out the door.

"Let's go Niou." Yanagi called out as he stepped out the door.

Niou was carefully watching Mayumi and Yagyuu who still had his back turned.

"Niou!" Yanagi called again.

"Coming, coming!" Niou forced himself to walk out the clubroom and closed the door.

"Seiichi-kun I know you're not feeling well but I just really, really need to tell you this. You were very busy in class today and I didn't get to talk to you much." Mayumi began and sat at a nearby bench.

"Gomen." Yagyuu whispered in his best Yukimura voice.

"Oh wow, you must really have a sore throat; your voice is a bit husky." Mayumi noticed.

"Hai." Yagyuu replied still trying his best to copy Yukimura's voice.

"Hey, Seiichi-kun come here and sit, I really need you to help me out." Mayumi waved her hands to call her supposed cousin over.

Yagyuu slowly moved closer not turning around then slowly sat a few inches away from the girl his back still turned.

"Why aren't you facing me?" Mayumi tried to take a peek at Yagyuu as Yukimura's face.

Yagyuu quickly shut his eyes, it was obvious that his eyes were silver and Yukimura's were purple.

"Daijabou desu ka Seiichi-kun?" Mayumi worriedly looked at his cousin.

"H-Hai. My eyes are itchy as well." Yagyuu gave as an excuse.

"Oh wow, you must really be sick." Mayumi buying Yagyuu's excuse.

"What did you want to talk about?" Yagyuu asked clearing his throat a bit to sound more like Yukimura.

"It's about Niou-kun and Yagyuu-kun." Mayumi replied.

Yagyuu's eyes shot open and turned his head towards the opposite direction.

"They've both been acting weird the last couple of weeks after the Nationals." Mayumi started, "I mean, Seiichi-kun did you tell them anything?"

Yagyuu shook his head.

"Really? Because before all this happened you were talking to me about being confused." Mayumi looked at her supposed cousin.

Yagyuu nodded.

"Why do they both have to be so nice to me? And did I tell you that they both walked me to the bus stop the other day?"

Yagyuu shook his head.

"This is all your fault you know." Mayumi crossed her arms on her chest.

"Nande?" Yagyuu silently asked, he was seriously failing at copying Yukimura's voice, even if Yukimura did have a sore throat.

"Because you had to bring the topic up! About me having a crush on Niou-kun since the first year, and about Yagyuu-kun being nice to me and me starting to have feeling for Yagyuu-kun."

Yagyuu felt a dagger to his chest.

"Now they're both acting weird and I have this strange feeling you have something to do with it Seiichi-kun." Mayumi stared at the bluenette's head, which was still turned away.

"Who do you think of?" Yagyuu asked the girl, his eyes closed to hide his silver eyes.

"Who do I think of what?" Mayumi replied.

"In the morning when you wake up, who do you think of? Who are you excited to see when you get to school?" Yagyuu continued in his best Yukimura voice.

"I don't know." Mayumi replied then propped her face on her palm.

"You must think of one of them more than you do the other." Yagyuu replied turning his head away once more.

"I guess, I was so used to being greeted every morning by Niou-kun's pranks—." Mayumi tried to explain.

"So, it's Niou?" Yagyuu interrupted.

"I wouldn't say so—." Mayumi again attempted to explain.

"Then just choose Niou, I'm sure Yagyuu will understand." Yagyuu replied tears almost ready to fall from his eyes.

"What do you mean choose Niou? It's not like either of them said anything." Mayumi reasoned out.

"If Niou tells you directly, would you choose him?" Yagyuu asked lowering his head.

"What if Yagyuu says something first?" Mayumi asked back.

"Then will you choose Yagyuu?" Yagyuu asked.

"I don't know." Mayumi replied.

"Let me make it easier for you." Yagyuu was about to remove the wig from his head when he heard rumbling from outside.

"What was that?" Mayumi stood up and tried to look out the window.

-oOo-

Outside the clubroom, five nosey teenagers had their ears stuck to the clubroom door.

"I can't hear what they're talking about." Marui complained.

"Stop leaning on me Marui!" Jackal complained.

"Be quiet I can't hear a thing!" Niou shushed the two.

"Senpai that's my hand!" Akaya pulled his hand off Niou's foot.

"Yamero! Just try hard to listen already." Yanagi leaned closer to the door.

"What are you guys doing?" Yukimura appeared behind them, Sanada right next to him.

"Seiichi/Yukimura/Yukimura-fukubuchou!" the five said all together.

Sanada had a frown on his face, he knew the five were up to no good, and he was particularly upset that Yanagi was with them.

"Why are you all outside?" Yukimura asked again.

"Did you all leave your keys to the door?" Sanada tried to ask as calmly as he could.

Yukimura peeked at the window and saw Mayumi inside with a bluenette sited behind her his back to the door. "Why is my cousin in there? And who is that with her? I'm the only one with blue hair in the tennis club." Yukimura faced the five.

Everyone stood frozen for a second before Niou, Jackal and Marui grabbed Yukimura and pinned him to the ground, Marui tried hard to cover Yukimura's mouth hiding him in the bushes.

Sanada was shocked at the events that took place before him.

-oOo-

"Oh, Sanada-kun's here." Mayumi gladly told her cousin, "You two didn't go to practice together today?"

Yagyuu shook his head.

"That's rare."

"He had something important to do." Yagyuu reasoned out.

"You two always have something important to do." Mayumi chuckled.

Yagyuu sighed.

"Maybe you should just go home Seiichi-kun, you're not feeling well after all." Mayumi touched Yagyuu's shoulder.

"Iie, I'm fine." Yagyuu replied coughing a little pretending to have a sore throat.

"Don't push yourself too hard Seiichi-kun."

"Mayumi-kun, don't worry about Yagyuu, he understands, if you choose Niou." Yagyuu stated in a sad tone.

"Yagyuu-kun is a gentleman, I think he'd understand anything. Besides, even if Yagyuu-kun does say something, I don't think I deserve Yagyuu-kun." Mayumi reasoned.

Yagyuu was silent.

"And Niou-kun, I don't know, I don't think I deserve him too."

"You deserve to be happy Mayumi-kun." Yagyuu replied burying his face on his hands.

"Thanks for listening Seiichi-kun, I better go now, you guys still have practice." Mayumi began to walk to the door.

"If you were really sad and feeling down, who would make you smile?" Yagyuu asked slowly removing the fake lashes off his eyelids knowing Mayumi was already at the door.

"What do you mean Seiichi-kun?"

"Who do you think would make you smile? Niou or Yagyuu?" he asked.

"Yagyuu-kun would definitely comfort me, he always does when I'm down—."

"But who would make you smile?" Yagyuu repeated.

"Most probably Niou, because of his jokes." Mayumi replied a bit unsure.

"Iiyo." Yagyuu sighed once again.

"Ja ne Seiichi-kun." Mayumi opened the door and saw Sanada, Yanagi and Akaya standing there looking at something in the bushes. "Konnichiwa Sanada-kun, Seiichi-kun is in there if you're looking for him, he has a sore throat and an itch in his eyes, please make sure he doesn't strain himself so much in today's practice." Mayumi smiled at Sanada.

Sanada stared at the girl confused.

"Ja ne minna." Mayumi waved goodbye then walked away.

"Ja Suzuki-senpai!" Akaya waved back at the girl.

Sanada then peeked into the clubroom and saw a bluenette sitting in the bench his back turned. He felt confused because he was certain Yukimura was in the bushes being tackled by Marui, Jackal and Niou.

"What is going on here?" Yukimura finally getting away from the three.

"Kora! Explain your selves!" Sanada shouted at the five.

Niou, Marui, Jackal, and Akaya began pointing at each other.

Yanagi merely sighed.

"Fifty laps, now!" Sanada shouted at them.

Yanagi walked into the clubroom.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sanada stopped the data man.

"I'm going to change Genechiro, just in case you haven't noticed I'm still in uniform." Yanagi replied.

"Iie! Laps, now!" Sanada turned Yanagi then pushed him to start the laps.

Yukimura slowly got closer to the bluenette sited on the bench with his face buried on his hands. "Yagyuu-kun?" he gently asked.

"Yukimura." Sanada called out to his best friend.

"I'm alright Sanada, just, go make sure they run their laps properly." Yukimura shooed Sanada away.

Sanada sighed, dropped his bag then closed the clubroom door.

"What did she tell you?" Yukimura gently asked Yagyuu who was removing the blue wig off his head.

Yagyuu merely shook his head.

"She told you something she should have told me didn't she? She told you something you shouldn't have heard that way." Yukimura patted Yagyuu's shoulder.

"Gomen for impersonating you, Niou-kun and Marui-kun said I could impersonate you perfectly." Yagyuu folded the blue wig and picked his glasses up.

"Whatever it was that she told you Yagyuu, don't let it get you down." Yukimura encouraged the boy.

"I'm bowing out Yukimura-kun." Yagyuu declared adjusting his glasses and standing up to step outside.

"Yagyuu."

"Niou-kun can make her smile—I can't." Yagyuu turned and walked away.

"Yagyuu—."

"I better start running or I won't finish those fifty laps in time." Yagyuu replied then closed the clubroom door.

-oOo-

The walk home was quiet. The complete opposite of earlier's laughter and ruckus in the clubroom.

"What's up with you?" Niou asked his doubles partner.

"Niou-kun let me ask you again."

"Ask me what?" Niou slouched a bit more.

"Do you love her?" Yagyuu stopped walking.

Niou stopped walking a few steps ahead and turned to Yagyuu.

"Don't answer me with 'maybe', you must know." Yagyuu stared at the silverette.

Niou stared back.

"You can make her smile." Yagyuu declared.

"Nani?" Niou's brows furrowed.

"You can make her smile, I can't." Yagyuu replied not taking his eyes off Niou.

Niou remained quiet.

"Do you love Suzuki-kun, Niou-kun?" Yagyuu asked again.

Niou did not answer.

"Tell her if you do, don't hesitate." Yagyuu advised then began to walk again.

"And how about you?" Niou asked his doubles partner as he walked pass him.

"What about me?" Yagyuu turned to face Niou.

"Do you love her?"

"Yes." Yagyuu replied.

Niou nodded.

"I love her enough to let her choose you over me, because you are the one that can make her smile when she is at her lowest." Yagyuu sighed and waited for a reply from Niou.

"And you?"

"Don't hurt her Niou-kun."

"Not the answer I wanted to hear."

"Don't hurt her, because if you do, I'll make sure I'll be the shoulder she can cry on." Yagyuu firmly declared.

"Iiyo, then I'll make sure she won't cry on your shoulder." Niou replied.

Yagyuu merely nodded.

Niou walked beside him quietly.

"This is where I leave you Niou-kun, Ja." Yagyuu turned to the street where he lived.

"Yaaaaagyuu."

"Nande Niou-kun?" Yagyuu turned to face him.

"If—." Niou shifts a little, "If she does choose me, I hope we can still be friends, because, honestly, you're the closest thing I have to a best friend." Niou shyly admitted.

Yagyuu smiled a little, "Of course." He adjusted his glasses, "Of course I'd still be your best friend, and doubles partner." Yagyuu held out his hand.

Niou smirked and shook Yagyuu's hand, "Puri!"

**-oOo-**

**Now that Yagyuu has stepped aside, what will Niou do next? Will this be Niou's happy ending? Or will it lead to something else.**


	9. Yearning is to Loving

**Chapter 8: Yearning is to Loving**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**-oOo-**

"Suzuki, wait up!"

"Niou-kun?"

"I'm walking you to the bus stop." Niou walks beside the purple head.

"Nande?"

"Because." Niou smirks.

"Because?"

"That's what b–f-s do." Niou mumbles unintelligibly.

"Nani?"

"Just, let me walk you there, iiyo?" Niou turns his head to the girl.

"Niou-kun—." Mayumi tried to argue.

"I like you." Niou blurts out.

"…" Mayumi stared at the silverette.

"I like you." Niou repeats.

Mayumi thinks she's having auditory hallucinations.

"I've liked you since I first saw you." Niou's face felt warm and he was trying to hide the blush on his cheeks.

"E?" was Mayumi's first verbal reaction.

"That's why I've been playing tricks on you, I guess, that was my way of making you notice me." Niou shyly admitted.

Mayumi just stared at him.

"Oi! Say something." Niou lightly pushes the girl standing beside him.

"I—I don't know what to say." Mayumi replied a very confused look on her face.

"Do you think you can—give me a chance?" Niou asked.

"_If Niou tells you directly, would you choose him?"_ The question echoed in Mayumi's head.

"Suzuki?"

"…_don't worry about Yagyuu, he understands, if you choose Niou."_ The words echoed in Mayumi's head again.

"Suzuki daijabou desu ka?" Niou shook the girl who was staring at him blankly.

_It wasn't Seiichi!_ Mayumi finally realizes. "Ano, Niou-kun, can you wait here a while, I, I just need to get something from the classroom." Mayumi told the silverette then ran back towards the school building.

"I'll go with you!" Niou offered.

"Iie, I need to do this myself." Mayumi shouted back at the boy and continued running.

"Iiyo." Niou watched the girl running away from her, then leaned against the school gates to wait for her.

_It was Yagyuu-kun._ Mayumi thought as she continued to run up the stairs.

-oOo-

Yanagi stared at Yagyuu who was staring out the window of the Council Room. "Yagyuu-kun, daijabou desu ka?"

"Hai." Was the silent and sad response.

"What are you looking at?" Yanagi walks closer to the window and sees Niou and Mayumi talking to each other. "I see."

Yagyuu turns his head towards the data man and nods.

"I had a hunch, but never really confirmed my suspicion." Yanagi piles the papers of that days meeting.

"Hmn."

"So, you've stepped aside?" Yanagi confirms.

"Hai."

"Nande?"

Yagyuu turns his head towards his teammate, "Because sometimes, it's the best way not to hurt the person you love."

"I see." Yanagi grabs his bag. "But how about not hurting yourself?"

"Which is better Yanagi-kun, hurting yourself? Or hurting someone else?" Yagyuu asked, if his glasses weren't hiding his eyes, any one could clearly see that there were tears hanging at the edges.

"You truly are a gentleman Yagyuu-kun." Yanagi steps out of the classroom.

Yagyuu turns his head back to the window and notices only Niou was left in the school gate. _Where did she go?_

-oOo-

"Yanagi-kun…" Mayumi asked panting, "have you seen Yagyuu-kun?"

Yanagi stared at the purple-head before replying, "He—He's still in the Student Council Room." He pointed to the door.

"Arigato!" Mayumi bowed before running towards the room.

Yanagi followed him with his eyes, then takes out his cell phone, "Moshi moshi, Seiichi, we have a problem—."

"Yagyuu-kun!" Mayumi calls the boy as she opened the door, still trying to catch her breathe from all the running.

"Suzuki-kun?" Yagyuu turns surprised to see the girl.

"It was you wasn't it?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"It was you the other day, in the club room." Mayumi asked in between gasps of air.

Yagyuu adjusted his glasses and nodded.

"Demo…why didn't you say anything?" Mayumi walked forward.

"What should I have said Suzuki-kun?" Yagyuu averted the girls gaze.

"I honestly thought you were Seiichi." Mayumi reasoned out.

Yagyuu was silent.

"Did you mean it?" Mayumi grabbed Yagyuu's hand.

Yagyuu felt a sharp pain in his chest when her hands touched his.

"Yagyuu-kun?"

"Has Niou confessed already?" was the response.

"Answer my question Yagyuu-kun." Mayumi demanded.

"Suzuki-kun." Yagyuu lifted his head and stared at the girl's face.

"Nande?"

"You do not have to be confused about anything." He began, "It is Niou-kun who you truly love, it has always been Niou-kun." Yagyuu painfully stated.

"How do you know?" Mayumi now grabbing Yagyuu's other hand.

"Because, I see the way you look at him Suzuki-kun. And I see the way he looks at you." Yagyuu gently held Mayumi's hands.

"Yagyuu-kun."

"Ike Suzuki-kun, he's waiting for you." Yagyuu lets go of Mayumi's hands and turns his head towards the window.

Mayumi looks out the window and sees Niou leaning on the school gate with a very worried look on his face.

"Niou-kun is a wayward wanderer, he wouldn't be standing there waiting for you if he didn't truly love you." Yagyuu explains.

"Yagyuu-kun." Mayumi lifts her eyes to the bespectacled boy standing beside her.

"I wish you both all the best." Yagyuu tenderly stated.

"Yagyuu-kun." Mayumi gently holds Yagyuu's face.

"I'll be alright Suzuki-kun." Yagyuu gently smiles and removes Mayumi's hands from his face.

"Arigato gozaimashita." Mayumi bowed then exited the room.

Yagyuu watches her leave with a very painful heart. He stares back out the window until he finally sees her in view running towards Niou. She was saying something to him, then they walked away holding hands, Yagyuu closes his eyes and finally a teardrop falls.

-oOo-

"Niou-kun!"

Niou straightens up and faces the girl running towards him.

"Hai." Mayumi tells Niou with a smile although out of breathe.

"E?"

"I'll give you a chance." Mayumi smiles at the boy.

"E?" Niou blinks a few times processing what she just said, "Hontouni?" he exclaims excitedly.

"Hai." Mayumi nods and smiles.

Niou embraces the girl, holds her hand as they walk away.

-oOo-

From the window of some other classroom three pair of eyes, watch the events that took place.

"Seiichi." Yanagi calls out.

"I'm afraid this is one thing we can't intervene in Renji." The bluenette responds.

"And if it affects the tennis club?" Sanada asks.

"Only there can we intervene Sanada, outside the tennis club, we can only support them." Seiichi half-heartedly responded.

"You do not seem to be happy about how things worked out?" Yanagi asked.

"What makes you think that way?" Yukimura turns to face the data man.

"Exactly who did you want for your cousin Seiichi?" Yanagi asks.

"Mayumi can choose for herself who she wants." Was the vague reply.

"You prefer Yagyuu don't you?" Sanada more of stated than asked.

"I have no preferences." Yukimura denied.

"You're afraid Niou might hurt your cousin aren't you?" Yanagi asked.

"What makes you so sure that Yagyuu won't hurt her instead?" Yukimura argued.

"The probability of that happening is like a fraction of a percent Seiichi." Yanagi reasoned out.

"If you preferred Yagyuu for Suzuki in the first place, then why did you encourage Niou?" Sanada irritatedly asked.

"I never said I preferred Yagyuu. Nor did I ever say that I prefer Niou." Yukimura irritatedly replied.

Sanada merely glared at his best friend.

"So you don't like them both?" Yanagi clarified.

"I never said that either." Yukimura averted Sanada's stare and turned to Yanagi.

"I'm getting confused." Yanagi admitted.

"That's a first." Yukimura retorted.

"You know the reason Yukimura." Sanada stated.

"I do." Yukimura turns to Sanada.

"And what reason is that?" Yanagi asks.

"Best you don't know Renji." Yukimura replied grabs his bag then walks out the door. "Let's go home."

Sanada grabs his bag and follows Yukimura leaving Yanagi behind.

"Sometimes, I don't understand you two." Yanagi walks after them.

-oOo-

"Hmn."

"Oi Akaya! I said hand me that grip tape." Marui shouts at his kohai who was sited beside him in the bleachers.

"Here senpai." Akaya hands over the item without removing his stare at what he was looking at.

"Itte! That's my face Akaya!" Marui slaps Akaya on the head.

"Itte! Gomen." Akaya flinches from the slap.

"What are you staring at anyway?" Marui looks at the direction of where Akaya was staring.

"Niou-senpai, seems different." Akaya bending his head a little to the right.

"He's glowing." Jackal said appearing out of nowhere making Marui jump.

"Jackal! You want to give me a heart attack?" Marui asked still holding his chest.

"Gomen. But he is, look." Jackal points out.

"He is isn't he?" Akaya stares along.

"He has a girlfriend." Marui said mater-of-factly.

"E?" Jackal and Akaya asked in unison.

"Nani? You two didn't know?" Marui asked.

Jackal merely raised his eyebrows.

"Would we be surprised if we knew Marui-senpai?" Akaya sarcastically replied.

"He and Suzuki-kun are dating." Marui blurted out the news like it was nothing.

"E?" was again the response.

"They've been dating since before the winter break." Marui continued.

"That's like three weeks ago." Akaya counted back.

"Looks like things are going great between them." Marui continued.

"Where was I when all this happened?" Jackal asked.

"I don't know."

"How did you know about it Marui-senpai?"

"I'm friends with Niou." Marui replied.

"And we're not?" Jackal asked.

"Of course you are, but I did see Niou with Suzuki during winter break and they were holding hands, so, of course Niou couldn't deny that to me." Marui smirked.

"So he didn't tell you? You caught them together." Jackal stated.

"What's the difference? I still found out before you two did." Marui replied stubbornly.

"What about Yagyuu-kun?" Jackal asked Marui.

"What about Yagyuu-senpai?" Akaya asked Jackal.

"I guess he stepped aside." Marui replied.

Akaya blinked for a moment, "E?" he finally gets what his senpai were talking about, "You mean it was a love triangle between Niou-senpai, Yagyuu-senpai and Suzuki-senpai?"

"Oh, finally you catch up Akaya." Marui messed with Akaya's hair.

"Demo, won't this affect them being doubles partner?" Akaya asked.

"Doesn't look like it does." Jackal pointed at Yagyuu and Niou who high-fived after winning a match against some of their teammates.

-oOo-

"I can't believe winter is almost over." Akaya states as he looks out the window of the tennis clubroom.

"Nande? Do you have a thing for winter?" Marui teased.

"Iie." Akaya defensively replies.

"I'll be going on ahead." Yagyuu bows to the remaining regulars in the clubroom.

"Be careful going home." Yukimura replies.

"Hai." Yagyuu steps out of the clubroom.

"Iiyo, let's talk about it already." Marui stood up with his arms crossed.

"Talk about what?" Yanagi replied.

"The big elephant in the room of course." Marui replied.

"Where?" Akaya turns his head from side to side looking for an elephant.

"Bakaya!" Marui slaps the boy on the head. "It's a figure of speech."

"There's nothing to discuss." Sanada firmly stated.

"What do you mean there's nothing to discuss? Look at them!" Marui pointed at the door, "Clearly they are both just being civil about it."

"Shouldn't we be thankful that they are?" Jackal asked.

"Is this about Yagyuu-senpai, Niou-senpai and Suzuki-senpai?" Akaya clarified.

"Hai, I think it is." Yanagi patted the boy on the shoulder.

"Come on! Am I the only one worried here?" Marui argued.

"We're all concerned Marui, but they're personal lives is nothing that we should meddle in." Sanada replied.

"They play doubles." Marui argued.

"And they're good at it. Since they've paired up they've been undefeated, they even beat you and Jackal." Yukimura stated.

"Way to rub salt on the wound Yukimura." Marui retorted.

"Let's all just calm down." Jackal tried to pacify Marui.

"Unless they become physical and start punching each other on the court, we cannot interfere in their personal lives." Sanada stated.

"Yagyuu made his choice, he decided to step away, he decided to give way. He's being mature about this; so let's all be mature about it as well." Yanagi explained.

"Don't blame me if they start throwing punches on the court." Marui sulked in a corner.

"If there are to be punches thrown, I don't think Yagyuu would be the one throwing them." Jackal stated.

"What makes you so sure?" Yukimura asked the half-Brazilian.

"Because Yagyuu-senpai is a gentleman." Akaya replied.

"Sometimes, when the heart gets hurt, the gentle can become coarse." Yukimura replies.

"Yukimura." Sanada looks at his best friend.

"It's okay to be concern, but for now, let's just be concern in silence. Until punches are really thrown, no one is to say a word to either of them." Yukimura instructs everyone. "Buchou's orders."

"Hai." Everyone replies, except Akaya, who was still processing.

"Demo, Yukimura-fukubuchou, you won't be Buchou for three more week—." Akaya was cut off by Marui and Jackal's hands on his mouth.

"Iiyo, we understand perfectly, don't we Akaya?" Marui stops the boy before Yukimura goes all frugal on him.

Akaya nods.

-oOo-

Yagyuu adjusts his scarf and jacket as he walks home, even if winter was almost over, the cold breeze still sent shivers down his spine. His quiet walk home was disturbed by the sound of giggling, all too familiar voices. He lifts his head from staring at the ground and true enough, it was them. Yagyuu stops in his steps and sadly stares at the couple playfully walking to the bus stop.

"Yagyuu-kun." Mayumi was first to notice his presence.

Yagyuu merely nodded then began to walk away.

"Oi Yaaaaagyuu! Come walk with us." Niou invited him.

"Iie, arigato." He respectfully declined the offer and turns away.

"Come on Yagyuu-kun, Niou-kun and I were heading out for some ramen, come along." Mayumi cheerfully offered.

"Iie, I need to do something at home—." Yagyuu was cut off by a snow ball hitting his face.

Yagyuu removed his glasses, which were covered with snow, another snow ball hits him on the face.

"Niou-kun." Mayumi tries to stop the boy from throwing any more snow balls.

Yagyuu wipes his face; another one hits him.

"My girlfriend invited you to come along to eat ramen, when she invites, you accept." Niou playfully says as he throws another snow ball at Yagyuu.

Yagyuu ducks and Niou misses.

"Please Yagyuu-kun, I don't he's going to stop—." Mayumi was cut off by a snow ball hitting Niou on the face.

"Oh, so that's how you want to play it huh?" Niou says as he wiped off snow from his face and grabs a hand full of snow.

Yagyuu smirks and grabs a handful himself.

"Iiyo, guys." Mayumi's heart started beating really fast, she wasn't sure what the two were planning.

Niou throws the first shot.

Yagyuu throws a snow ball back.

This of course ended up in a snow ball fight. "Iiyo, stop it already!" Mayumi shouted playfully, giggling from watching the two boys having a snow ball fight.

Yagyuu looks at Niou.

Niou smirks, he understood perfectly.

The two then turns to Mayumi, both of them holding snow balls.

"What are you doing?" Mayumi stares at the two. "Ah! Stop that!" Mayumi ducks as Niou and Yagyuu began throwing snow balls at her.

-oOo-

"That was fun." Mayumi excitedly exclaimed as all three of them walked towards the ramen place.

"I can't remember when I last participated in a snow ball fight." Yagyuu smiled as he adjusted his glasses.

"Of course Suzuki is no match for both of us." Niou smirked.

"It was two against one, you two are so unfair!" Mayumi complained.

"Looser." Niou teased.

Mayumi pouted.

Niou embraced the girl.

Yagyuu smiled at the sight, because even if it hurts him to see Niou embracing the girl he loves, it was enough for him to see her happy.

"Yaaaaaagyuu." Niou calls the boy.

"Hai?"

Niou smiles at Mayumi.

"Arigato for coming along today." Mayumi holds Yagyuu's right hand.

Yagyuu stares at Mayumi's hands holding his, "Iiyo."

Niou goes ahead and hugs Yagyuu.

"Iiyo, Niou-kun, that is just creepy." Yagyuu complains, Niou still not letting go of him.

Mayumi giggles, and they all end up laughing about it.

"Let's go I'm hungry!" Niou grabs Mayumi's hands and drags her into the ramen place.

Yagyuu smiles as he watches the couple enter the ramen place. _As long as your happy…as long as your both happy._ He says in his mind before following the two.

**-oOo-**

**I was planning to update Hana first, but I just had this instant inspiration and this chapter happened. =)**

**Oh, and what other secrets are Yukimura and Sanada hiding about Mayumi and the guys? Hmmm…**


	10. Apparent is to Veilled

**Chapter 9: Apparent is to Veiled**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**So, thanks to the new peeps who added this story to their alert/favourite list, much love to all of you! Also to those who reviewed the previous chapters, thanks!**

**-oOo-**

"_Mayumi! Wait for me!"_

"_Misumi, hurry up!"_

"_I can't run as fast as you."_

"_Come on Misumi, Seiichi is waiting for us at the tennis court."_

"_Wait up!"_

"_Misumi?—Misumi?—Misumi!"_

Mayumi jump up from her bed gasping for air. _Not again_. She gets her blanket off her body and looks at the alarm clock in her side table. _Three in the morning, Seiichi is going to kill me._ Despite saying this to herself, she goes ahead and dials her cousin's number.

"Moshi moshi." The sleepy voice said on the other line.

"Seiichi-kun." Mayumi's shaking voice replied.

"Not again." Yukimura groaned from the other end of the line.

"H-Hai."

"Iiyo, I'll pick you up to go to school later. Try to get back to sleep." Yukimura sleepily replied.

"Demo, Seiichi-kun you know I won't be able to go back to sleep." Mayumi complained.

"So do something productive instead, I don't know, read a book, watch a DVD, update your blog." Yukimura desperately wanting to get his cousin off the phone so he can go back to sleep.

"I don't have a blog."

"So make one." Yukimura sighed, "Iiyo, gomen, just…I'll pick you up at five thirty, which is about two and a half hours from now, so please, please, please let me go back to sleep."

"Iiyo, five thirty, gomennasai Seiichi-kun." Mayumi ends the call.

Yukimura covers his face with a pillow desperate to go back to sleep, although he said those things to Mayumi, he knew that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep either. So he tosses and turns a few times in his bed before finally giving up and dialling a familiar number.

"Moshi-moshi" the sleepy voice answered.

"Sanada."

"What is it Yukimura, it's only a few minutes after three in the morning?" Sanada groaned from the other end of the line.

"Mayumi called."

Sanada jumped up from his bed, "Did it happen again?" he asked full of concern.

"Hai."

Sanada rubs his forehead, "How is she?"

"Not able to go back to sleep." Yukimura replied.

"I thought this would have been over by now, hasn't it been almost a year that she last had those nightmares?"

"Well, you know, Spring is almost here and you know that always triggers the nightmares." Yukimura explained.

Sanada sighed.

"Sanada, you know I can't help her." Yukimura declared helplessly.

"And I can?" Sanada replied frustrated.

Yukimura remained silent.

"Iiyo." Sanada giving in, "What time are we picking her up for school today?" he asks.

"I told her I'll pick her up at five thirty."

"Iiyo, I'll drop over your place then so we can fetch her together." Sanada conceded.

"Iiyo. Sanada—Arigato." Yukimura softly said.

"Don't mention it." Sanada ends the call.

-oOo-

"Ohayou!" Mayumi gleefully greeted, but instantly reverted to her sad face when she saw who else was at their doorsteps.

"Sanada can't be that bad of a view for you to have that face on." Yukimura teased and chuckled.

"Gomennasai." Mayumi bowed.

"It's okay." Sanada replied before turning and walking away.

"Let's go." Yukimura motioned for his cousin to start walking.

"Why did you take him with you?" Mayumi whispered to Yukimura as they walked a few steps behind Sanada.

"Because I know that he can help you more than I can." Yukimura smiled at his cousin.

"You didn't have to drag him into this Seiichi-kun." Mayumi argued.

"You might want to speak a little softer." Sanada spoke up to inform the cousins that he could hear them.

"Gomennasai, Sanada-kun." Mayumi replied.

"You use to call him Gen-kun you know." Yukimura reminded his cousin.

"That was a long time ago." Mayumi replied.

Sanada walked silently ahead.

"Wouldn't you want to be called 'Gen-kun' again, ne, Genechiro?" Yukimura called out.

Sanada merely shrugged his shoulder.

"Seiichi-kun." Mayumi pulled on her cousin's sleeves.

"Nani?"

Mayumi shook her head.

"I don't mind." Sanada mumbled.

Mayumi stared at Sanada's back.

"What do you call Niou-kun?" Yukimura trying to change the topic.

"Niou-kun." Mayumi replied.

"Nani? Why not Masa-kun? Or Haru-kun? Or Masaharu-kun?" Yukimura started a long list of possible names that Mayumi could call her boyfriend.

"Because I feel more comfortable calling him Niou-kun." Mayumi glared at her cousin.

"What does he call you?" Yukimura continued his interrogation.

"Suzuki."

"Nani? Doesn't he call you by your first name?" Yukimura asked surprised.

"It doesn't matter; maybe he isn't comfortable calling me by my first name yet." Mayumi reasoned out.

"You've been dating for more than two months; he's still not comfortable calling you by your first name?" Yukimura raised his eyebrows.

"Quit it Seiichi." Sanada reprimanded his best friend.

The cousins both stare at Sanada who was walking ahead of them.

Yukimura clears his throat, "Ne, Sanada, why don't you call Mayumi by her first name anymore?"

Sanada flinched from the question.

"You don't have to answer that Sanada-kun." Mayumi defended.

Awkward silence ensued.

-oOo-

"I have to go ahead, I need to talk to the principal before practice begins, you know, being the new buchou and all that." Yukimura told Mayumi as they were closing in on the gates of Rikkai.

"Iiyo."

"Sanada, you'll walk her to the classroom right?" Yukimura called out.

Sanada merely nodded.

"You don't have to." Mayumi objected.

"Let him." Yukimura stared his cousin down.

Mayumi stared back.

"I'll walk you to your classroom." Sanada declared to stop the staring competition between the two.

"That's settled then." Yukimura left the two behind.

Mayumi stood frozen, and Sanada stood there waiting for her to move.

Mayumi stared at Sanada, Sanada stared back. Clearly, she was not going to win, so she started walking towards the raven-haired boy.

"You didn't have to do this you know." Mayumi started.

Sanada remained silent.

"Did Seiichi call you up when I called him this morning?" Mayumi continued.

Sanada merely nodded.

Mayumi sighed.

"When are we going?" Sanada asked the girl.

"I don't know, when don't you have tennis practice?" Mayumi replied.

"I'll ask Seiichi." Sanada replied.

"Iiyo."

"Have a nice day." Sanada faced the girl as they arrived at the classroom door of class 2-3.

"Arigato for walking me to the room." Mayumi bowed then stepped into the room.

Sanada follows the girl with his eyes before walking away to the tennis courts. Just as he turned he bumped into someone.

"Gomennasai."

Each of them stared at each other.

"Sanada-kun?"

"Yagyuu."

Sanada nodded then walked away.

Yagyuu followed Sanada with his eyes, then turned to peek at class 2-3's room, only Mayumi was there. _Did they walk to school together?_ Yagyuu asked himself. _Did Niou-kun and Suzuki-kun have a fight?_ He asked himself again. Clearly he was not getting a definite answer from himself, so he decided to quit asking and go to morning practice instead.

-oOo-

"Stop slacking off!" Sanada shouted at the tennis club members.

"Mou, Sanada-senpai has been very strict since he got promoted to fukubuchou." Akaya complained as he ran beside Marui who was also being punished for slacking off.

"Him and Yukimura both." Marui rambled.

"I said stop slacking off! Do you want extra laps?" Sanada shouted at the two after noticing their pace to be dropping as they chitchat while running laps.

"Just imagine how things will be when the senpai-tachi has actually graduated." Marui whispered to Akaya.

"Marui! Akaya! Additional 10 laps!" Sanada shouted.

"E?" The two responded and ran a little faster.

"Hai, those two, really." Jackal rubbed his temple as he was stretching beside Yanagi.

"Just stretch Jackal, Sanada might hear you." Yanagi reprimanded.

"Ano, Niou-kun, can I ask you something?" Yagyuu asked Niou as he helped him stretch his hamstrings.

"Sure." Niou replied as he reached for his feet.

"Don't take this the wrong way, demo, did you and Suzuki-kun have a fight?" Yagyuu asked while pushing Niou's back.

"Iie, nande?" Niou replied directly.

"Aa." Yagyuu adjusted his glasses as Niou stood up to assist him stretch his hamstrings.

"Did she tell you something?" Niou asked Yagyuu.

"Iie." Yagyuu replied reaching for his feet.

"Then why do you ask?"

"Do you walk her to school?" Yagyuu replied.

"Iie, we only walk home from school, nande?" Niou stopped pushing Yagyuu's back.

"Sou dane." Yagyuu stood up and began stretching his lats.

"Yagyuu." Niou grabs Yagyuu's arm, "What are you not telling me?"

"Betsuni." Yagyuu lied.

Niou glared at him.

"I think you should walk her to school as well." Yagyuu replied.

"I can't, we go to school extra early because of morning practice, you want me to wake her up that early just so we can walk to school together?" Niou defended.

"I was merely suggesting." Yagyuu replied and went back to stretching after noticing that Sanada was glaring at them.

"Actually—." Niou went back to stretching after noticing the same, "I haven't met her family yet…except Yukimura of course."

Yagyuu's brows rose, "Niou-kun, you've been together for more than two months, why haven't' you met her family?" he asked surprised.

"She hasn't invited me over yet." Niou reasoned out.

"Niou-kun, then ask her." Yagyuu insisted.

"It's just—." Niou stopped talking after feeling a warm air breathing down his neck.

"If you two have time to talk while you stretch maybe you both should join Marui and Akaya in doing laps?" Sanada barked out.

"Iie, gomen Sanada, we'll stretch properly." Yagyuu replied in Niou's behalf.

Sanada glared at the two.

"He's really in a bad mood today." Jackal whispered to Yanagi.

"Just, finish your stretching Jackal, let's not get ourselves into trouble." Yanagi replied in a whisper.

-oOo-

"Suzuki, ready for lunch?" Niou calls out to Mayumi who was staring out the window of her classroom.

"Ah, about lunch." She turns her head toward her boyfriend, "Ano, can I eat lunch with Seiichi-kun today?"

Niou blinks a few times, "Is there a problem?" has finally asks.

"Iie, betsuni, I just felt like having lunch with Seiichi-kun today." Mayumi lied.

"Have you been talking to Yagyuu?" Niou asks, irritation evident in his voice.

"I haven't talked to Yagyuu-kun in a while, actually." Mayumi replied, "The last I talked to him was when we had ramen together, a month back."

Niou raised his brows, he was actually surprised that Yagyuu has been keeping his distance from Mayumi for that long already. "Iiyo, I'll go have lunch with Yagyuu then." Niou turns to walk to the cafeteria.

"Have fun." Mayumi waved at Niou.

-oOo-

"So, the teacher was asking me why I was sleeping in class again and I just had to say that it was because Sanada tried to kill me with laps this morning." Marui was telling everyone when Yukimura appeared at the lunch table.

"Seiichi?" Yanagi asked surprised.

"Nani?" Yukimura asked.

"I thought Suzuki was having lunch with you?" Niou asked the bluenette.

"Oh, about that, ah, Sanada's having lunch with her." Yukimura replied like it was nothing.

Marui, Jackal and Akaya gasped.

Yagyuu shifted from his seat, it was bad enough that his doubles partner/best friend was dating the love of his life, did Sanada have to be involved too?

Yanagi cleared his throat, "Why would Genechiro be eating lunch with your cousin?"

"Yeah, why would your best friend be eating lunch with my girlfriend?" Niou asked very vexed, if his eyes could kill, Yukimura would probably be bleeding to death.

"Relax Niou, it's not like Sanada would steal her away from you; not that he couldn't because I'm pretty sure he could, but he won't." Yukimura replied.

Marui, Jackal, Akaya now joined by Yanagi gasped again, deeper this time.

Niou's eyes narrowed, he was just about ready to throttle Yukimura when Yagyuu grabbed his arm.

"Let's try to hear the rest of the story." Yagyuu tried to pacify Niou; although admittedly he himself did want to choke Sanada to death at that moment.

"He's not after your girlfriend Niou." Yukimura assured the silverette.

"He better not be, because fukubuchou or not—." Niou was about to threaten Sanada's life when Yukimura suddenly stood up his face very angry.

"You don't know half the story Niou. None of you does. That's why you do not understand why Genechiro is the way that he is, and why Mayumi is the way that she is." Yukimura walks away from the group.

Niou who was hot as freshly baked bread suddenly simmered down from what their newly appointed buchou just said. It was rare to see Yukimura angry.

"What was that about?" Marui asked no one in particular.

"I'm confused." Akaya admitted.

"You're always confused Akaya." Jackal patted the boys shoulder.

"Did Seiichi just say what I think he just said?" Yanagi asked Yagyuu.

"If you mean, that Suzuki and Sanada shared something in the past, then, I would say yes, I think he said what I think you think he said." Yagyuu replied.

"Nani?" Niou stared at Yagyuu and Yanagi.

"I think that's what he meant by that." Yanagi told Niou.

"Sanada and Suzuki?" Marui asked shocked.

"You mean they use to be together?" Jackal asked as well.

"If they 'use to be together', then why would they have lunch together now?" Akaya asked.

"Yeah, especially when Sanada-kun knows that Suzuki-kun and Niou-kun are together?" Yagyuu joined in the discussion.

"I'm getting to the bottom of this!" Niou declared and tried to get up from his seat before Yagyuu and Yanagi stopped him.

"Niou, let's not jump to conclusions." Yanagi grabbing Niou's left arm.

"Niou-kun it would be better if you calm down first, then you can ask Suzuki-kun later, I'm sure she wouldn't lie to you." Yagyuu grabbing Niou's right arm.

"Yeah, I don't think barging in their lunch date would make things any easier." Marui added.

"Not a lunch date, probably just discussing some important things, like closure perhaps." Jackal corrected after seeing Niou's eyes flare up again.

"Hai, Hai, maybe Suzuki-kun is just ending things, severing ties with Sanada-kun because she's with you now Niou-kun." Yagyuu offered as an explanation.

"You make it sound like they were really together in the past." Niou retorted.

"Iie, I mean, maybe—." Yagyuu tried to find another explanation.

"Maybe Suzuki-senpai is asking Sanada-fukubuchou about relationship advice?" Akaya offered seeing that Yagyuu was out of words.

Everyone's sweat drop, including Niou, they all stared at Akaya.

"Nani?" Akaya responded.

"Seriously, Akaya, relationship advice?" Marui reacted first.

"From Sanada?" Jackal added.

"It's possible." Akaya defended.

"More like impossible." Niou sarcastically replied.

This of course pacified the tension and everyone just began laughing about what Akaya said.

_Demo, why are they really having lunch together?_ Yagyuu thought, despite laughing with the group.

**-oOo-**

**Dear readers before you attack me, I assure you, Sanada will by no means be romantically involved. Although, he and Mayumi do share a past that will explain why Sanada is Sanada and why Mayumi is Mayumi in the present.**

**So, my dear readers…**

**Why was Yukimura so worked up about the issue?**

**What will happen to Niou and Mayumi's blossoming relationship?**

**What will Yagyuu's part be in all this?**

**Our lovely Rikkai boys are speculating again, and I just love it when they do that.**

**What past did Sanada and Mayumi share?**

**Find out in the next chapter ;-)…**

**When I upload the next chapter that is. ^_^v**


	11. Unearthing is to Adapted

**Chapter 10: Unearthing is to Adapted**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**So I finally got my new glasses, no more headaches for me, I can write my fics all I want again. Yay for me!**

**-oOo-**

"Do you think I'm weird?"

"Huh?"

"Do you think I'm weird?"

"Do you think you're weird?"

"Niou-kun, answer my question."

"Suzuki, if your weird, then what do you think I am?" Niou playfully pinches Mayumi's nose.

Mayumi sighs.

"Oi! Is something bothering you?" Niou moves closer to the girl.

"It's Saturday tomorrow."

"It is, so what?"

"Do you mind if I go home ahead of you?"

"You're not watching the practice tomorrow?" Niou's brows raised, Mayumi loved watching him practice.

"There's some place I need to be tomorrow." Mayumi tries to avert Niou's eyes.

"Where?"

"Somewhere important."

Niou sighs. "Suzuki, did I do something wrong?"

Mayumi lifts her eyes to the silverette seated beside her.

"Iie, why would you ask that?"

"You've been acting weird lately, you and Yukimura both, well, Sanada's been a little different, but not really weird. But you and Yukimura are bordering weird and plain insane." Niou joked.

"It's not about you Niou-kun." Mayumi gently planted a kiss on the silverette's forehead.

Niou smiled from the girl's action.

"It's a family thing." Mayumi vaguely explained as she gathered their empty bento boxes.

"Is Sanada your relative as well?" Niou enquired stunned.

"Iie silly." Mayumi smiled at her boyfriend.

"Oh, iiyo, because if Sanada was also related to you, then that would mean that Yukimura and Sanada are cousins too, which is like crazy, because, oh, I don't know, just thinking about it makes my head explode." Niou said demonstrating his head explosion with his hand.

Mayumi smiles and caressed Niou's face, "You look kawaii when you act like a kid."

Niou smirked.

"I guess people haven't gotten used to seeing us together eh?" Mayumi asked as she looked over the rooftop watching their schoolmates roaming around, it was lunch break after all.

"Who cares about them?" Niou stands from the floor and walks over to where Mayumi was standing, "It's better having lunch up here anyway."

"The view here is beautiful, no wonder you like spending time here." Mayumi marvelled at the view of their entire school.

"I think the view beside me is better." Niou answered.

Mayumi blushed from the compliment.

-oOo-

"Sanada-kun."

Sanada turns to see who was calling him.

"Do you have a minute or two to spare?" Yagyuu adjusted his glasses.

"What do you have in mind Yagyuu?" Sanada sternly replied.

Jackal glances from his side vision to his two classmates talking at the corner of their classroom.

"I wanted to ask you something." Yagyuu began.

"About what?" Sanada being his usual unyielding self.

"The other day, when I bumped into you in the hallways before morning practice." Yagyuu continued.

Sanada merely stared at the gentleman, no trace of change in his facial reaction.

"Well…did you walk to school with Suzuki-kun?" Yagyuu asked nervously.

"Hai." Was the short response.

"I see."

Jackal stood from his seat and walked over to the two.

"What is it Jackal?" Sanada asked.

"Sanada, not that I'm intruding or anything, but why would you walk to school with someone else's girlfriend?" Jackal asked firmly, although his knees were shaking a bit.

"Jackal-kun, I'm sure Sanada has a good explanation for doing so." Yagyuu came to Sanada's defence.

"Because Jackal, Yukimura asked me to." Was Sanada's response before leaving the classroom to head to afternoon practice.

Yagyuu and Jackal looked at each other, an unsaid question lingered in their minds, and maybe the best person to talk to about it was not Sanada.

-oOo-

"Be careful going home iiyo?" Niou reminded Mayumi.

"Niou, be sure to be in the court in fifteen minutes." Yukimura instructed the silverette as he passed them by.

"Sometimes your cousin can be overbearing." Niou complained.

"He's just doing his job." Mayumi defended, "And hai, I will be careful. Now go, before Seiichi-kun goes ballistic on you." She pushes Niou away towards the tennis courts.

"Send me an SMS when you get home iiyo." Niou reminded Mayumi as he ran towards Yagyuu's classroom to fetch him for practice.

"I will." Mayumi waves at her boyfriend then heads towards the front door of the building.

"Yaaaaaaagyuu, let's go!" Niou calls out to his doubles partner.

Yagyuu steps out of his classroom to Niou who was waiting in the hallway when he noticed Mayumi walking out of the building, "Suzuki-kun is going home?"

"Ah, hai, she said there was somewhere she needed to be." Niou explained.

Yagyuu follows Mayumi with his eyes.

"Let's go Yagyuu, Yukimura said fifteen minutes we all have to be in the courts." Niou runs on ahead.

_Where do you need to be?_ Yagyuu asks himself before following Niou to the courts.

-oOo-

"Gomennasai, did you wait long?" Mayumi asks the raven-haired boy waiting for her outside the school.

He merely shakes his head.

"Are you sure it was okay with Seiichi for you to skip on Saturday practice?" Mayumi asks the boy as they begin to start walking towards the East.

"It was his idea." Was the plain response.

"Sumimasen for having to do this today."

"Don't be, I just want to help."

They walked on silently, silent, but not awkward.

-oOo-

"Oi Akaya! Stop standing around." Marui said throwing a ball towards the ich-nen.

"Itte!" Akaya rubbed his head where the ball hit him.

"Why are you staring at thin air?" Marui asked the boy.

"Something is wrong." Akaya replied still staring in thin air.

"Nani?" Marui asked now also staring at the direction where Akaya was staring.

"I can't shake the feeling that something is missing." Akaya replied.

Marui tilted his head to the left.

"Something is out of place Marui-senpai." Akaya continued.

Marui now tilted his head to the right.

"What are you two doing?" Jackal asked the two who were staring at nothing.

"Something is amiss Jackal-senpai." Akaya replied.

"I don't see it." Marui added.

"Neither do I, now get back to practice!" Yukimura commanded the three suddenly appearing behind them.

"Hai!" They all shouted and ran somewhere far from the demigod.

"Yukimura's in a bad mood again." Niou complained to Yagyuu.

"He's just doing his job Niou-kun, it's not easy being the new buchou, especially when the senpai-tachi will graduating in a few weeks." Yagyuu replied as he tied his laces.

"He's been in a bad mood for several days now, don't you think that's very un-Yukimuraish." Niou reasoned as he and Yagyuu walked to the court to start practice matches with Marui and Jackal.

"Let's just ask him later, for now, let's just practice." Yagyuu patted the silverette.

"Seiichi." Yanagi called out.

"What do you need Renji?" Yukimura replied rather snobbishly.

"Where is Genechiro?" Yanagi asked.

"Nande?" Yukimura turned to face the master.

"Well, it's usually Sanada who is grouchy and barking orders around, not you, so—." Yanagi reasoned but was cut off my Yukimura.

"Nowhere that you need to know. Nowhere that you all need to know! Now get to practice!" Yukimura commanded then stormed out of the courts to the club room.

Yanagi's eyes snapped open, Seiichi was particularly moody that day and it was so out of character for him.

"That's what's wrong!" Akaya exclaimed.

"Nani?" Marui asked the boy, as everyone stood frozen from the scene, of course, that was something new to them, Yukimura never shouts at Yanagi…Never.

"Sanada-fukubuchou is not here!" Akaya furthered.

Marui looks around, "Now that you mention it, he is isn't he."

Jackal rolled his eyes, "You only notice it now Marui?"

"What? Like you noticed it earlier?" Marui retorted.

"I saw him leave the school before going here so." Jackal shrugged his shoulder.

"No fair Jackal!" Marui complained.

"He's my classmate, what am I supposed to do? Close my eyes and pretend not to see him?" Jackal asked Marui.

Niou's brows furrowed, he began to look around, it was true, Sanada was not there. And for Sanada not to be there during practice, something was definitely wrong.

Yagyuu notices the look in Niou's face. "Niou-kun, what are you thinking?"

"They're together." Niou replied.

"Who?" Yagyuu asked.

"Suzuki and Sanada." Niou faced Yagyuu, disappointment evident in his face.

Yagyuu thought for a moment before replying, "Now, Niou-kun don't just jump to conclusions, maybe Sanada had an important family matter he had to attend to."

"Sanada, never misses practice. He never misses practice Yagyuu!" Niou reasoned out.

"You have a point. Demo, it doesn't mean that they're together." Yagyuu tried to calm Niou.

"Yagyuu, my girlfriend went home ahead of me, she said there was somewhere she needed to be today." Niou explained.

"Iiyo." Yagyuu waiting for further explanations from Niou.

"Yagyuu, my girlfriend is not here." Niou emphasized.

Yagyuu flinched with the 'girlfriend' part, although he tried to deny it, it still hurts him each time Niou calls Mayumi his 'girlfriend', "Hai, she is not."

"Sanada is not here." Niou continued.

"Hai, he is not, I think we have established that fact already." Yagyuu replied.

"Stop being so intellectual on me Yagyuu." Niou crossed his arms.

"Are we playing or not?" Marui shouted from the other end of the court.

"Niou-kun it may be just mere coincidence." Yagyuu reasoned out ignoring Marui's question.

Niou made a face.

"Yo! We're waiting." Marui shouted again.

"Shut up pig!" Niou shouted back.

"Nani?" Marui's face turned red with anger.

"I said shut up pig!" Niou replied.

"Who are you calling a pig?" Marui walking over to Niou.

"Marui, Marui, calm down." Jackal walked after his doubles partner.

"You! Do you see any other pigs in the court?" Niou retorted.

"Niou-kun, I don't think this will be very helpful." Yagyuu tried to calm Niou.

"I'll show you who's a pig." Marui dropped his racket and was about ready to hit Niou when Jackal grabbed him.

"I can already see the pig in front of me, you don't need to show it!" Niou replied also raising his fist at Marui as Yagyuu grabbed him.

"Yamero you two! If Yukimura sees you." Jackal tried to get Marui far from Niou.

"Let me go Jackal, this big mouth needs to be taught a lesson." Marui struggled to get Jackal off him.

"Oh yeah? And who's going to teach me? You Bunta?" Niou also trying to get Yagyuu off him.

"Senpai! Senpai! Help!" Akaya shouted as he ran towards Yanagi."

"Doushita Akaya?" Yanagi replied.

"Niou-senpai and Marui-senpai are fighting in court B." Akaya pointed at the two bickering at each other.

"This is bad, if Seiichi comes back and sees them we're all dead." Yanagi stated as he began running towards court B.

"Niou-kun, yamero!" Yagyuu said trying hard to keep Niou off Marui.

"Marui, shut up already!" Jackal trying to drag Marui away from Niou.

"Oi! Yamero! Do you want to get us all in trouble?" Yanagi shouted as he and Akaya ran towards the four.

"Well, he started it!" Marui reasoned out.

"I don't care who started it, I'm ending it!" Yanagi firmly stated.

"Mou, it's a bad day for practice today, everyone seems too tense and uptight." Akaya complained.

"Let go of me already!" Niou jumps off Yagyuu's gasp.

"Are you calm now?" Yagyuu asks.

"Hai, hai, as calm as it comes." Niou replied brushing his shirt from wrinkles.

"Jackal, let go already." Marui also calming down a bit.

"Do you promise not to jump on Niou if I do?" Jackal asked as he lightly releases his grip on Marui.

"Hai, hai." Marui stubbornly replied.

"That is it! I am going to talk to Seiichi about this!" Yanagi decided and turned to walk away.

"Demo, Yanagi-senpai, won't that get us all killed by Yukimura-buchou?" Akaya following his senpai.

"This awkward and unhappy atmosphere in practice is ending today!" Yanagi firmly declared.

"Demo senpai—." Akaya reasoned still following Yanagi.

Niou, Marui, Jackal and Yagyuu stood awkwardly in the court. They all felt stupid for the fight earlier.

"I'm going to go talk to Yukimura as well!" Niou declared and began walking after Yanagi and Akaya.

"Oi! I'm not standing around and miss out on this!" Marui followed Niou.

Jackal and Yagyuu sighed and rolled their eyes before following their doubles partners.

-oOo-

Mayumi stood frozen at the gate of a familiar place.

"Suzuki-kun, are you coming or not?" Sanada asked the girl as he was already a few meters ahead of her.

Mayumi inhaled deeply, "Coming." And she walks towards Sanada.

They both stop in front of marble stone with bonsai's planted around it. Sanada places the flowers he had been carrying at the foot of the marble stone marker.

Mayumi took out some incense from her bag and began to light some.

Sanada took some incense himself and lighted them.

They both stood there silent.

"Ma-chan." Sanada whispered.

Mayumi looked at Sanada surprised at how he referred to her, it's been years since he last called her in such a manner.

"Please remember that our loved ones only truly die, when we begin to forget about them." Sanada continued without looking at the girl standing beside him.

"So you still think about Misumi?" Mayumi asked the boy returning her gaze on the marble stone.

"Hmn." Sanada nodded.

"Ano, G-Gen-kun, don't you wish it was her standing here beside you instead?" Mayumi asked in a whisper.

Sanada turned his head towards her, "If Misu-chin were here, she would have slapped you silly for saying that."

"I guess you're right." Mayumi glances over to Sanada.

"Ma-chan, it was not your fault." Sanada assured the girl.

"Neither was it yours." Mayumi assured back.

"Hmn." Sanada nodded.

They both stared back at the marble tombstone and stood there in silence.

-oOo-

"Seiichi." Yanagi called out to the demigod who was seated in the clubroom staring out the window.

Yukimura did not respond.

The rest of the regulars entered the clubroom.

Yukimura turned his head towards the group.

"Ote-tachi—." Yanagi continued but was cut off by Yukimura.

"You want to know where Sanada is right?" Yukimura replied, his voice shaking.

No one could respond.

"He's with Mayumi, they went to the cemetery." Yukimura said in a very sad tone.

The regulars looked at each other. Niou's face softened. Yagyuu adjusted his glasses and felt a slight relief from what he heard.

"W-What are they doing in the cemetery buchou?" Akaya hesitantly asked.

"There's something that you don't know about Sanada, and about my cousin." Yukimura started.

"So tell us, so we could understand." Niou replied.

"You all know that Sanada has been my best friend since we were really young right?" Yukimura began.

"Hai, you met in a tennis club were your Otou-san played on weekends." Yagyuu replied.

"Hai, hai. Demo, Sanada, he was not always like that. He was quiet, shy, he was…funnier." Yukimura searched for words to describe his best friend.

"Funnier?" Marui repeated.

"Marui." Jackal reprimanded.

"Sanada smiled a lot when we were younger." Yukimura revealed.

Everyone gasped.

"Hontouni?" Akaya couldn't believe his ears.

"And Mayumi, Mayumi wasn't that shy. She was outgoing, she was always smiling, she was active, she was…well, if I would describe it, she was half Marui, half Niou." Yukimura rubbed his chin, he had a difficult time describing his cousin.

"Half Marui?" Yanagi asked.

"Half Niou?" Jackal followed-up.

"Wow! That's like the complete opposite if who she is right now!" Akaya exclaimed.

"Oi Akaya!" Marui eyed his kohai.

"What happened?" Yagyuu asked surprised by the revelation.

"Someone died." Yukimura answered vaguely then turned his back.

"Who?" Niou asked.

Yukimura sighed.

Yanagi stepped up, "Yukimura, things around here have been weird lately. You and Sanada have been acting really strange."

"And my girlfriend has been very mysterious as well." Niou added.

Yagyuu flinched again, _Do you really have to emphasize the 'girlfriend' part Niou-kun?_ He thought.

Yukimura turned around. "I'll tell you the whole story after practice." Then walks out the clubroom. "Get back in the courts, or run a hundred laps instead."

Yanagi sighed. "Let's go minna, I guess we'll have to wait a little longer to hear the story."

The regulars walk back to the court except Niou and Yagyuu who trailed behind.

"What are you thinking Niou-kun?" Yagyuu asked.

"It's like I don't even know who she is." Niou mumbled.

Yagyuu patted his doubles partner, "Wait until practice is over, then we'll all know more about Suzuki-kun."

**-oOo-**

**I know, I know, not much Yagyuu in this chapter. I promise to give him more "screen time" in the following chapters. I just felt that I needed to put some more background on Mayumi since I basically started the story off with the love triangle between her Niou and Yagyuu without really putting much intro on who she really was.**

**Okay I'm going to leave you hanging here, I have this 3000 words rule that I started so that the chapters to my stories would be easier to read. I promise to update ASAP after this.**


	12. Understanding is to Confused

**Chapter 11: Understanding is to Confused**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**So here is the third instalment of Mayumi's history.**

**-oOo-**

Mayumi sat down on a patch of grass near the tombstone, her eyes lifted to the sky.

Sanada was leaning on a tree planted close-by.

"Ne, Gen-kun, what is your best memory of Misumi?" Mayumi asked.

Sanada thought for a while before answering, "I guess, it would be when Misu-chin almost peed laughing from that joke I said about the ducks."

Mayumi chuckled, "Yeah, I remember that joke." She sighed.

Sanada walked over. "Ma-chan, what is your best memory of Misu-chin?" he asked as he sat next to the girl.

"I remember everything about her. And I love every memory that I have of her." Mayumi smiled.

"She's something special isn't she?" Sanada raising his eyes to the sky.

"Ne, Misu-chin, do you hear us talking about you?" Mayumi asked the air.

Sanada glanced at the girl beside him. "I think she does." He smiled.

"Been a while Gen-kun." Mayumi smiled back.

"Been a while?" Sanada's smile turned into a confused look.

"Since I last saw you smile." Mayumi explained.

"Aa." Sanada agreed.

-oOo-

The regulars all waited in anticipation for Yukimura to enter the club room, practice was over that Saturday and they all wanted to hear the story.

"Mou! Yukimura-buchou is sure taking his time getting here." Akaya all giddy with anticipation.

Yukimura opens the door and everyone shot up and stared at him.

"Oh, you're all still here." Yukimura greeted everyone unenthusiastically.

"We've been waiting for you." Marui replied.

"So I see." Yukimura went straight to his locker.

"Well?" Niou followed the demigod.

"Well what?" Yukimura asked cluelessly.

"Seiichi, you said you'd tell us the rest of the story after practice, we're waiting." Yanagi explained.

"Ah, hai, so I did." Yukimura finally remembering.

"The suspense is killing us Yukimura-kun." Yagyuu signalled Yukimura to proceed.

Yukimura sighed, obviously he was not getting out this one. "Fine, sit down minna."

The regulars sat in the closest chair or thing they could find.

"Mayumi is the youngest daughter of my Oba-san." Yukimura started.

"We already know that, she has a Niisan right?" Yanagi confirmed.

"Hai, demo, she also has a Neesan." Yukimura explained.

"E?"

"Mayumi had an older twin." Yukimura continued.

"E?"

"Her name was Misumi. She was Genechiro's…best friend." Yukimura paused.

The regulars tried to process the new information, Yanagi was first to process what Yukimura said of course.

"His best friend?" Yanagi asked.

"Eto…not really." Yukimura corrected.

"What is it really were they best friends or not?" Marui clarified.

"I was his best friend." Yukimura replied.

"So, what was Sanada's connection to Suzuki-kun's twin?" Yagyuu inquired.

"Sanada, was particularly close to her, they were good friend, but not best friend, because I was his best friend." Yukimura grinned.

"We get the point Seiichi." Yanagi rubbed his temple.

"Anyway, Sanada was close to both of them, but he was closer to Misumi than Mayumi. So we hang out together on weekends. Sanada always had these lame jokes that Misumi would laugh at, Mayumi and I would usually not get the joke but somehow Misumi seem to always "get" it." Yukimura explained.

"Sanada tells jokes?" Jackal asked surprised.

Niou flashed, he wanted to laugh but felt it was inappropriate.

"I told you, he was a lot different before than how he is now." Yukimura reminded the group.

"Misumi was quiet, very shy, she was not very good with sports but she was willing to learn. She was smart and creative. And they are identical twins so she looked exactly like Mayumi…except." Yukimura paused again.

"Except what?" Niou anticipating the next statement.

"Misumi had silver eyes. They looked exactly alike except their eyes. That was why it was so easy to distinguish which twin was which because they had different color eyes." Yukimura smiled at the thought of his cousins.

"Why are you smiling?" Yanagi asked the demigod.

"I just realized something." Yukimura chuckled.

"Nani?" Marui raising an eyebrow.

"Sanada likes silver eyes." Yukimura replied his index finger in his chin as if thinking.

Everyone looked at Yagyuu.

"Nani?" Yagyuu asked.

"Sanada likes silver eyes Yaaaaaagyuu." Niou teased.

Yagyuu cleared his throat. "Niou-kun, I'm sure Yukimura meant that as a statement which referred to girls with Silver eyes."

Marui and Akaya chuckled.

Jackal rubbed his temple.

"Sanada's girl preference aside." Yanagi interrupted, "Why did Genechiro and Suzuki-kun become the complete opposite of who they use to be?"

Yukimura's face turned serious, "I told you, someone died."

"Who died exactly?" Niou asked.

Yukimura sighed again, "We were suppose to meet up in the tennis club that weekend. Sanada promised Mayumi and Misumi that he would teach them how to play tennis. I offered to, but my cousins never took anything that I said seriously. The girls were running late for our meeting so they were running to the tennis club that afternoon. Mayumi was more athletic than Misumi, she can run faster." Yukimura paused to catch his breathe.

Everyone was silently waiting for what he would say next.

"Mayumi was running ahead and Misumi was trailing behind. She didn't notice how far she was running ahead of her sister. She heard a screech and a thump, when Mayumi looked back, Misumi was lying on the street, blood sipping from her head." Yukimura paused, he felt his chest tightening and he needed to sit.

Yanagi pulled a chair and assisted Yukimura to sit down.

Niou's eyes became filled with a mixture of grief and confusion.

Yagyuu felt his heart was being crushed.

"The driver of the car that hit Misumi rushed her to the hospital, but it couldn't be helped, the doctors said Misumi died on impact."

The regulars remained silent.

"After the news of Misumi's accident reached us we all rushed to the hospital. Mayumi was crying badly. I tried to comfort her but she ran away. We searched for her everywhere, it took us three days to find her. She was hiding in a playground close to our elementary school. Sanada was the one who found her actually." Yukimura explained.

Yagyuu's eyes brightened up.

Niou's eyes were blank.

"After Misumi was cremated and laid to rest, we had a difficult time consoling Mayumi, she blamed her self for Misumi's death. Sanada became quiet, and well, pretty much how he was right now. Mayumi also began to change, she began to adapt Misumi's personality, that was the best that we could explain it, it was like she was trying to adapt Misumi as a means of keeping her alive." Yukimura continued.

"Demo, it wasn't Suzuki-senpai's fault that her sister got into an accident." Akaya said with tears in his eyes.

"I know Akaya. But Mayumi saw it otherwise." Yukimura replied.

"I still don't understand why they had to go to the cemetery today." Niou commented.

"Niou-kun." Yagyuu protested.

"After Misumi died, Mayumi began having nightmares, her parents tried everything, from doctors to priests to counsellors. No one could help Mayumi. Somehow, Sanada…when she talks to Sanada she feels better." Yukimura explained.

"How can you feel better after talking to Sanada?" Marui whispered to Jackal.

"Marui." Jackal reprimanded.

"The nightmares stopped almost a year ago. When the nightmares stopped, Mayumi and Sanada started to avoid each other. I don't know, maybe another means of adaptation to grief?" Yukimura shrugged his shoulder.

Yanagi nodded in agreement.

"So why the sudden closeness again?" Jackal inquired.

"A few days back, Mayumi started having nightmares again. When she does, she would usually call me up in the middle of the night. Since she has, I've asked Sanada to help out. We pick up Mayumi to go to school, I usually make some random excuse so I can leave the two of them alone, so they can talk. Sanada knew the best way to help Mayumi forget, is to help her remember." Yukimura replied.

"Your last statement was confusing." Marui commented.

"Mayumi blames herself for her sister's death. Sanada helps her forget the pain of loosing her, by helping her remember all the beautiful memories." Yukimura explained.

"Much better, makes more sense." Marui commented.

"Not even I could help Mayumi, even if we were cousins." Yukimura stated in frustration.

Everyone was silent for a moment before each one walked to their individual lockers to change.

"Niou." Yukimura called.

Niou turned his head towards Yukimura.

"I know she's your girlfriend now, and this may seem wrong to you. But Sanada was her friend, long before she even met you. And maybe, maybe this is one thing that neither of us can help her with…but Sanada can." Yukimura walked over to Niou and patted his shoulder.

Niou merely nodded.

Yukimura walked away.

"Yukimura!" Niou called out.

"Hai?"

"If she's been nightmare free for almost a year, why did she suddenly have them again?" Niou asked.

"Misumi died on the first day of Spring, three years ago, before we even came to Rikkai. Spring coming soon must have triggered the nightmares again." Yukimura speculated.

Niou nodded then went back to changing.

-oOo-

"Feeling any better?" Sanada asked Mayumi.

"A little."

"Maybe avoiding each other was not the best idea after all." Sanada sighed.

"Gomennasai Gen-kun." Mayumi apologized.

"Iie, I should be the one apologizing. I thought by avoiding you I could help you move on." Sanada explained.

"No more avoiding each other iiyo?" Mayumi held her hand out to Sanada.

"Iiyo." Sanada shook her hands.

They both sigh and smiled.

"Ne Gen-kun, what do you think about Niou-kun?" Mayumi suddenly asked.

Sanada's brows furrowed, "Please don't tell me you're asking me for advice regarding your relationship with Niou?" his face had 'shocked' painted all over.

Mayumi chuckled, "Of course not! I mean, what do you think of him."

"What do I think of him?" Sanada asked confused.

"Do you think things will work out alright with us?"

"I hope so. I might just kill him with a tennis racket if he doesn't take you seriously." Sanada stated very big brother like.

"Iie you won't." Mayumi teased.

"I might." Sanada defended.

Mayumi smirked.

"Maybe slap him silly, but not kill him." Sanada rolled his eyes.

"See." Mayumi said making a small 'yes I won' gesture.

"When Niou started making you the apple of his eyes when we were ich-nen, I was worried, because I didn't know if you could take the bullying." Sanada admitted.

"He wasn't bullying me. Niou actually admitted the only reason he kept playing tricks on me was because that was his way of making me notice him." Mayumi explained.

"You were a little trickster yourself when we were younger." Sanada reminded Mayumi.

"I was not." She argued.

"Yes you were, you and Misumi always played tricks on me and Seiichi with all of us getting in trouble." Sanada pointed out.

Mayumi smiled, "Yeah we did, didn't we?"

Sanada nodded.

Both of them began laughing, remembering their childhood misadventures.

"Ma-chan, just, don't get hurt iiyo?" Sanada said seriously.

Mayumi stared at Sanada.

"Because if Niou hurts you, I might just hurt him badly." Sanada threatened.

Mayumi patted Sanada's shoulder, she knew he wouldn't, he was just being protective of her.

"Although, Yagyuu might strangulate him before I or Seiichi could even get near him." Sanada teased.

"Nani?"

"I'm sure Yagyuu would be more than happy to protect you against Niou." Sanada continued teasing.

"Shut up!" Mayumi pushed Sanada over.

Sanada began to laugh.

"Let's go home already." Mayumi stood up to avoid Sanada's teasing.

Sanada followed the girl, but he was not letting her rest, "So how does it feel being the center of attention of two handsome guys affection?" Sanda continued to tease.

"Gen-kun yamero!" Mayumi stumped her feet like a child.

Sanada laughed, "Ma-chan is such a heart breaker."

Mayumi turned to face Sanada and glared at the boy.

Sanada bit his lips to try and stop his laughter.

"Mou!" Mayumi turned and walked away.

"Iiyo, iiyo, I'll stop." Sanada said running after the girl.

Mayumi was pouting.

Sanada walked beside her still trying to hold in his laughter.

Mayumi glanced at Sanada and smirked.

Sanada glanced back.

They ended up laughing about it and happily walked on home.

**-oOo-**

**There, that's enough background I guess, let's go back to Niou and Yagyuu next chapter! =)**

**I just wanted to show Sanada's softer side, he's always so strict and uptight, I'm pretty sure he has a soft side too.**


	13. Accepting is to Denying

**Chapter 12: Accepting is to Denying**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**Now that's we've had a sneak on Mayumi's past, let's go back to Niou and Yagyuu…and enough Sanada already, he's been having the spot light for three chapters straight. LOL**

**-oOo-**

"Ohayou!" Mayumi greeted her cousin as she enters their classroom.

"You look happy." Yukimura commented and smiled back at the girl.

"And you look happy as well, does it have something to do with me not waking you up at three in the morning today?" Mayumi sarcastically replied.

"I see you got your sarcasm back." Yukimura retorted.

"I had a peaceful sleep, arigato for not asking about it." Mayumi emphasizing the 'not' part.

"Looks like that little time with Sanada did wonders for your personality." Yukimura teased.

"Hai, hai, I think he may have rubbed on some of his 'tarundorou' personality on me." Mayumi joked.

Yukimura chuckled; he knew his cousin was just mocking his best friend.

"Demo, seriously Seiichi, you know I'm only sarcastic with you." Mayumi reverting back to her shy, quiet self.

"I know." Yukimura smiled at his cousin.

"Oi! Yukimura, here are the forms you asked me to gather from the team." Niou enters the classroom and hands a bunch of papers to Yukimura.

"Ohayou Niou-kun." Mayumi greets her boyfriend with a smile.

"If you need anything else I'll be in my classroom." Niou ignores Mayumi and walks out.

Mayumi's smile disappeared, "Is Niou-kun mad at me?" she turns her head to Yukimura.

"He's just been worried about you." Yukimura patted Mayumi's shoulder.

"He didn't even greet me back." Mayumi stares towards the door.

"Just let it go Mayumi, just talk it out later." Yukimura led his cousin to her chair.

"Niou ignored me like I was not even there." Mayumi reasoned.

Yukimura sighed.

"Is he mad about me and Gen-kun going to the cemetery last Saturday?" Mayumi asks.

"He's not mad." Yukimura assured the girl.

"He is; you're just trying to make me feel better." Mayumi pouted.

"Now, now, no pouting." Yukimura playfully tapped his cousin's nose.

Mayumi's eyes began to well up.

Yukimura patted her shoulder, "I promise; I'll talk to Niou later, iiyo?"

Mayumi nodded then sulked in her chair, it was a good thing that the sensei entered the room to start class, 'because Yukimura would have had a pretty hard time calming her down had he not.

-oOo-

"Niou-kun?" Mayumi peaks her head from the door to the rooftop.

Niou was standing at a corner his back turned.

"Niou-kun, ano, I made your favourite variety of bento today." Mayumi holding two packed lunch in her hands.

Niou just stood there his back turned, not moving an inch.

Mayumi seats in a nearby bench, "Ano, Niou-kun, Seiichi said that the rooftop garden on the other end of the building in filled with flowers, I guess spring is really coming huh?" she tried to make small talk.

Niou shifts to his right, not saying a word, or even turning his head.

"Niou-kun? Daijabou desu ka?" Mayumi walks a little closer.

Niou suddenly turns around surprising the girl then walks away out the door.

"Niou-kun?" Mayumi stood there staring at the door, which was slowly closing behind Niou.

-oOo-

"Sensei, I'm here to return these books." Yagyuu places three reference books on the table as he speaks with the librarian. "Arigato gozaimasu." Yagyuu bows then was about to head out when he noticed Mayumi seating at a corner cubicle in the library. _Suzuki-kun? What is she doing here at this time?_ He walks over. "Suzuki-kun, konnichiwa." He greets her.

Mayumi was holding her pen as if to write something, she was staring at the open reference book in front of her notebook but there was no movement.

"Suzuki-kun?" Yagyuu called out again.

Mayumi just sat there staring at the book.

Yagyuu then turned his head to see what Mayumi was so intently reading that she would not even response to his greeting. _Nani? I'm pretty sure we won't be studying about those until after summer or senior year._ Yagyuu thought to himself after seeing what the topic was on the page that Mayumi was staring at. "Suzuki-kun." He tried to call her attention again.

Mayumi blinked.

Yagyuu stared at her.

Mayumi closed her eyes.

Yagyuu waited for her to open them again.

A teardrop fell from Mayumi's left eye.

Yagyuu gasped. "Daijabou desu ka Suzuki-kun?" Yagyuu asked.

Mayumi began to sob.

Yagyuu looked around if anyone was watching them, of course, no one was, this was Mayumi after all, and not much people noticed her, if they even do notice her at all.

"Leave me alone please." Mayumi whispered.

"Daijabou Suzuki-kun?" Yagyuu asked again then sat across from Mayumi.

"Please leave Yagyuu-kun, just, please, leave me alone." Mayumi pleaded.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong." Yagyuu insisted.

Mayumi opens her eyes and stares at Yagyuu.

Yagyuu adjusts his posture.

"He hates me doesn't he?" Mayumi stated.

Yagyuu's brows raised, he wasn't sure he understood what Mayumi was talking about.

"Niou-kun." Mayumi replied, as if understanding what was going on in Yagyuu's head.

"Iie."

"Then why won't he talk to me?" Mayumi asked Yagyuu, desperation evident in her eyes.

"I—I don't know." Yagyuu replied unsure, he didn't even know that Niou was not talking to Mayumi until that moment.

"Please tell Niou-kun that if he wants to break up with me because of me spending time with Gen—Sanada-kun, then please do it properly, tell me directly." Mayumi told Yagyuu before grabbing her things and walking away.

Yagyuu followed her with his eyes, his mind confused with what had just happened.

-oOo-

"Sa, just two more days to spring break." Marui stretching his hands in the air.

"Aa. Two weeks of no tennis practice." Jackal agreed.

"Mou, that's boring." Akaya complained.

"Not if you have spring break all planned out Akaya." Marui stated resting his arm on his kohai's shoulder.

"What did you have planned Marui-senpai?" Akaya inquired.

"That is a secret." Marui replied.

"He's going pastry hunting with Akutagawa-san and his family." Jackal replies for Marui.

"Jackal, that was information not meant to be divulged!" Marui smacks Jackal on the head.

"Nani?" Jackal asks as he rubs his head in pain.

"Just for that, you're not getting any pastry when I get back." Marui whined.

"How about you Jackal-senpai what did you have planned for the spring break?" Akaya inquired.

"Ore? Eto, just hang around the family's ramen shop." Jackal replied.

"Jackal is going to brush up on his cooking skills." Marui teased.

Jackal glared at his doubles partner.

"I'll probably be just playing computer games at home." Akaya stated jaded.

"You're no fun Akaya, go out, have some fun, go to the beach or something." Marui complained.

"Well, my family will be visiting relatives in Hokkaido." Akaya reasoned out.

"Family trips are not counted." Marui protested.

"Then your trip with Akutagawa-san's family is not counted as vacation fun either." Akaya argued.

"Iie, it is, because it's with his family not mine." Marui reasoned out.

Jackal glared at Marui again.

"Ne, how about you Yanagi-senpai?" Akaya asked the master who was adjusting his strings.

"Ore? Family trip to Hawaii." Yanagi replied as if it was nothing.

"E?" Marui, Jackal at Akaya's jaw dropped.

"Nani?" Yanagi asked as if it was but natural.

"You're going to Hawaii with your family?" Marui asked in disbelief.

"Hai." Yanagi replied plainly.

"How long are you staying there?" Jakal inquired.

"A week." Yanagi replied.

"Sugoi! Yanagi-senpai can you bring me back something?" Akaya requested his senpai his eyes hopeful and glistening.

"Sure." Was the plain and simple reply.

"E? Hontouni? Sugoi! You're the best Yanagi-senpai!" Akaya throwing his fist in the air.

"Oi! What about us?" Marui complained.

"I'll bring you home some coconuts." Yanagi teased Marui.

"E? Coconuts?"

"Would you rather I bring you home a shark?" Yanagi asked Marui.

Jackal and Akaya chuckled.

"Very funny Yanagi." Marui sarcastically replied.

"How about you Yagyuu-senpai, where are you spending your spring break?" Akaya now turning to the gentleman.

"Probably with my Otou-san." Yagyuu replied.

"With your otou-san? Where? In the hospital? He's a doctor right?" Marui clarified.

"Ah, Hai." Yagyuu replied.

"What are you going to do in a hospital for two weeks?" Marui asked flabbergasted.

"Who knows maybe we can make medical history together." Yagyuu shrugged his shoulder.

"You're weird Yagyuu, really weird." Marui commented.

"I'm just joking." Yagyuu informed the group.

"E? So where are you really spending your vacation then?" Jackal asked this time.

"With my otou-san, but not in the hospital, we're going to the mountains." Yagyuu replied.

"Hiking trip sounds like fun." Yanagi commented.

"We're going to look for some rare medicinal plant that he needs for his research." Yagyuu followed-up.

"Boring." Marui commented again.

"Joking." Yagyuu retorted.

"How about you Niou, where you heading off?" Marui asks the silverette who has been quietly sitting there while they were discussing.

"Anywhere but here." Niou replies then walks away.

"What's up with Niou?" Yanagi asks Yagyuu.

"I'm not sure." Yagyuu replies.

"E? You're not sure? Demo, aren't you two like best friends or something like that." Marui asked in scepticism.

"Niou hasn't said anything to me yet." Yagyuu reasoned out following Niou with his eyes.

"Are they fighting?" Jackal dared to ask.

"I hope not." Yagyuu replied, although he knew there was a misunderstanding going on between the two.

"Well, Niou-senpai better pull it together since now we know that Sanada-fukubuchou and Suzuki-senpai are really good friends he might just double his laps if he does something bad to her." Akaya remarked.

"Not to mention Suzuki is Yukimura's cousin, talk about double jeopardy for Niou." Marui added.

"Let's hope it doesn't get to that." Yanagi stated as they all stared at Niou who was swinging his racket from a distance.

-oOo-

Mayumi sighs again as she gathers her things, it was the last day of term and Niou hadn't said a word to her. She stares out the window and notes that her cousin was gathering the tennis club members for one final meeting before spring break. She stares at the silverette who was standing beside Yagyuu and sighs again. _He's never going to talk to me._ Mayumi walks out the door bag in hand towards the shoe locker. She quickly changes her shoes and walks out the main building of Rikkai.

She slowly walks to the gate turning her head up to the sakura trees that lined the pathway to the school gates, the buds were just beginning to appear, and they probably won't be blossoming until term starts again. _And I thought dreams do come true. I guess, nightmares come true better than dreams do._ She thinks to herself and glances towards the tennis courts where the team was still having a meeting. Their senpai-tachi graduated today, and it was official her cousin was now the buchou, and her closest friend was the fukubuchou, which means they will be spending less time with her when term begins again. And her boyfriend, well, she was not sure she still had one. So she walks on home.

-oOo-

"Good work everyone, I'll see you after two weeks. Enjoy your spring break." Yukimura greeted everyone before dismissing the club.

"Nice speech." Sanada commented to his best friend.

"It was, wasn't it?" Yukimura grinned.

Sanada rolled his eyes.

"Ne, Sanada, are you coming with fishing trip that our Otou-san planned together?" Yukimura asked as they walked into the clubroom.

"Hai."

"Hmn, I'll be staying behind, I have a feeling I'll be busy keeping Mayumi busy this spring break." Yukimura explained.

Sanada stopped packing his bag and stared at Yukimura his brows furrowed.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Yukimura asked like it was yesterday's news.

"Know what?" Sanada asked, anger evident in his voice.

"They're not talking to each other." Yukimura continued, "Well, it's more like Niou is not talking since Mayumi has been doing all the talking lately, that is if they even actually stay in the same space for more than a minute." Yukimura furthered.

"Nani?" Sanada asked almost ready to confront Niou.

"Don't!" Yukimura commanded.

"Nande?" Sanada retorted.

"I know what you're thinking, and I know that you just want to protect our girl, demo, it will only make things worse if you confront Niou." Yukimura explained.

"Demo—." Sanada began to reason out.

"Don't!" Yukimura cut him off.

Sanada glared at his best friend.

"Glare all you want, I'll still say the same thing to you—Don't!" Yukimura glared back.

"Fine." Sanada conceded.

"Spring break!" Marui screamed as he and the rest of the regulars entered the clubroom before noting Sanada and Yukimura's presence, "Oops!"

"Happy about spring break Marui?" Yukimura asked the volley-specialist.

"Not really, I mean two weeks without tennis, how boring is that?" Marui replied din his most convincing tone of voice.

"Ahum." Yukimura replied as he and Sanada walked out the door, "See you in two weeks."

"Have a nice vacation buchou, fukubuchou!" Akaya waved at the two.

Marui pouted, and when he was sure that Yukimura and Sanada were no longer in, hearing distance threw his fist to the air and screamed, "Spring break!"

Jackal rolled his eyes.

Yanagi shook his head.

Yagyuu chuckled.

Akaya danced along with Marui with their newly invented 'spring break dance'

Niou, completely ignored everyone and went straight to packing his bag.

"Ja minna, I'll be going on ahead." Yanagi stated first to finish the packing.

"Bring something back from Hawaii!" Marui gleefully reminded Yanagi.

"I'll be going on ahead as well." Jackal stated grabbing his bag.

"Oi! Jackal, where are you going?" Marui grabbing his partner's arm.

"Home."

"Iie, iie, iie, you, me and Akaya are going to the arcade." Marui declared.

"Demo, we didn't have plans of going to the arcade today." Jackal protested.

"We do now." Marui popping his bubble gum.

"Marui-senpai, is it your treat?" Akaya hopefully asked.

"Hai, hai, hai, it's my treat…Jackal said." Marui replied and passing the baton to Jackal again.

"Ore?" Jackal complained.

"Sa, let's go then!" Akaya happily exclaimed as he and Marui headed out the door.

"Oi! I haven't agreed to any of this!" Jackal complained as he ran after the two.

Yagyuu looked at Niou who was still packing his bag.

Niou on the other hand seem to be completely oblivious of Yagyuu's presence in the room.

"How long do you plan on not talking to her?" Yagyuu asked.

Niou stopped packing and froze for a split second before going back to his packing completely ignoring Yagyuu's question.

"We spend almost every day practicing, hanging out, and you never said anything to me about you guys not talking." Yagyuu continued.

Niou sighed then zipped his bag.

"Niou-kun." Yagyuu stepping closer to Niou.

"What do you want me to say to her?" Niou snaps back at Yagyuu.

"I don't know." Yagyuu replies.

"You try being the boyfriend of someone who you don't even know. And finding out about her past and her buried personality from her cousin." Niou snarls at Yagyuu then punches his locker door.

Yagyuu just stared at Niou whose head was resting against his fist on the locker door.

Niou exhaled deeply then looks at Yagyuu. "It's like I don't know who she really is."

"She was crying in the library the other day." Yagyuu replied.

Niou sneered. "And you were there when she did. Well, you did say that if I make her cry you were going to make sure your shoulder was there to cry on." He sarcastically replied.

"That is beside the point Niou." Yagyuu argued.

"Do you want to take her from me Yagyuu, because right now, I will willingly hand her over to you, because I'm not even sure she is Suzuki Mayumi." Niou argued.

"She is." Yagyuu replied.

"How do you know?" Niou shouts at Yagyuu.

Yagyuu is taken aback.

"How do you know that she is? What is she is Misumi? What is Mayumi was the one who died and Misumi pretended to be her sister?" Niou questioned the gentleman.

"Yukimura-kun said they had different colored eyes." Yagyuu reasoned out.

"Yukimura can lie, to cover up for his counsin." Niou retorted.

"I don't think Yukimura-kun would do that." Yagyuu argued.

Niou throws his head back in frustration.

"Niou-kun, you're just confused." Yagyuu patted his friend's shoulder.

"I am. I am actually, because I fell in love with a girl who I found out to be a totally different person." Niou screamed then turns to punch his locker again.

"Keep doing that and you might just break your hand." Yagyuu reminded Niou.

"I can't talk to her Yagyuu." Niou admits his voice trailing off.

"Yes you can." Yagyuu encouraged his best friend.

"I can't." Niou argued.

"Yes, you can, because I refuse to accept that I lost the woman I love to a coward." Yagyuu told Niou as a challenge.

"I told you if you want to take her, go ahead." Niou argued.

"Niou, please don't make me punch you." Yagyuu stared at Niou.

"Oh, the gentleman will punch me? Go ahead." Niou challenged Yagyuu.

Yagyuu merely stared at him.

Niou dropped to the bench, he knew Yagyuu wouldn't punch him no matter how hard he provoked him.

Yagyuu sat beside Niou, "Niou what does it mean to love someone?" he asked.

"Nani?" Niou burrows his forehead and stares at Yagyuu.

"Doesn't it mean that loving someone means accepting her past, appreciating her present and embracing her future?" Yagyuu asks Niou.

Niou bowed his head.

"You can't change who she was in the past. But you can appreciate who she is right now. And maybe, somehow, help her shape her future." Yagyuu patted Niou on the shoulder grabs his bag then walks out of the clubroom.

Niou followed Yagyuu with his eyes then pulls out his cellphone from his pocket, he browse of Mayumi's number and stares at the screen, his fingers were frozen and wouldn't move to press the dial button. Sometimes he hates to admit it, but Yagyuu makes a lot of sense.

**-oOo-**

**Well, staring next chapter we'll be following the story plot for the PoT series since they will now be in their senior year in Rikkai =) Meaning there will probably be mention of Seigaku and the other teams starting next chapter.**


	14. Bridging is to Destroying

**Chapter 13: Bridging is to Destroying**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**Sorry been out of the game in a while, got sick.**

**-oOo-**

"I don't want to go out Seiichi." Mayumi struggled to hide under her covers and pillows as her cousin tried to pull her out of bed that morning.

"Well, I'm not leaving you alone either, get out of bed Mayumi." Yukimura pulled on his cousin's feet.

"Leave me alone Seiichi!" Mayumi curled in bed to hide her feet.

"It's such a beautiful spring morning; do you really plan on spending it in bed curled up like that?" Yukimura asked his hand on his hips.

"Hai!" Mayumi stubbornly replied.

"Fine have it your way." Yukimura gave in and slumped on a beanbag at the foot of Mayumi's bed.

"Fine!" Mayumi replied and just lay curled up in bed.

Yukimura tapped his foot to make sure Mayumi knew he was still there.

"Leave me alone Seiichi." Mayumi repeated after hearing her cousin's feet thumping.

"I'm just seating here, I'm not even doing anything." Yukimura stubbornly replied.

"Not getting up from bed Seiichi, no matter what you do."

"Then I'll spend the day watching you slump up in bed thinking, 'Oh my dear poor cousin.'" Yukimura teased.

"Shut up! Just leave me alone." Mayumi turned so her back would face her cousin.

"Your pyjamas look kawaii." Yukimura teased.

"I know; you gave to me during my last birthday." Mayumi reasoned out.

"That's right; I gave those pyjamas to you. Demos, those pyjamas, are happy pyjamas, not sulking pyjamas. Now get up from there!" Yukimura once again pulling on his cousin's feet.

"Iie!" Mayumi kicked her cousin.

"Itte!" Yukimura fell to the floor.

"Seiichi?" Mayumi froze, feeling for any movement from her cousin, but there was none. "Seiichi. Daijabou desu?" She quickly got out of bed and grabbed her cousin's shoulder.

Yukimura just laid there not moving a muscle.

"Seiichi, Seiichi!" Mayumi shook her cousin.

Yukimura began to giggle, "So, that's what it'll take for you to get out of bed."

Mayumi's brows furrowed and she began slapping Yukimura's arms, "I hate you! I really worried about you silly!"

"Iiyo, iiyo, yamero." Yukimura curling up to hide himself from Mayumi's slapping.

Mayumi stopped hitting her cousin and pouted.

"Ike, take a bath, I'll wait for you down stairs." Yukimura grabbed Mayumi's towel and handed it to her before stepping out of the room.

"Seiichi-kun."

"Hai?"

"Arigato for everything." Mayumi meekly said.

Yukimura chuckled; "Isn't that what cousins are for?" then closed the door. _Baka Niou! Talk to her already._ He tells himself as he leans on his cousin's door.

-oOo-

"Masaharu, are you sure you want to stay behind?" His okaa-san asked as the family was about to go on trip to visit relatives.

"Hai, Okaa-san." He meekly replied.

"What's up with you? You're usually not the one to pass up on an adventure Masa-niisan?" his otouto asked as he walked pass him.

"I'm not feeling well." Was the plain answer.

"Then maybe we should postpone the trip?" his okaa-san offered.

"Maa, oto-san will be going back to work after the break, there will be no other time to visit obaa-san and ojii-san." Niou reasoned out.

"Demo…" his mother was about to insist, but was stopped by his oto-san.

"It'll be alright, Masaharu is a big boy now, he can take care of himself. Ne, Masaharu?" his oto-san winked at him, telling him he understood perfectly why his son wanted to stay behind.

"Hai, hai. Daijabou okaa-san, daijabou." He pushed his okaa-san along with his oto-san.

"E? Iiyo. But we're going to call you every now and then." His okaa-san reminded him.

"Hai." Niou smiled and waved at his family who were getting into the car.

"You better make up with her already; oto-san's sticking out his neck for you." His Nee-san whispered in his ear, as she was the last one to exit the house.

Niou glares at his nee-san.

"You can't hide anything from me Masaharu." His nee-san glares back, "Talk to her already."

Niou smirks at his nee-san.

"Ja ne Masaharu." His oto-san waves at him as they pull out the driveway.

"Make up with her already!" his nee-san mouthed off to him as they drive off.

Niou nods and waves at them. _Although, I have no idea how._

-oOo-

"Shouldn't you be spending such a beautiful spring day with a girl you like Seiichi?" Mayumi asked his cousin as they were walking around the amusement park.

"Hmn? Iie, I'm fine right here." Yukimura patted his cousin's shoulder.

"Isn't there someone you like Seiichi?" Mayumi pressed on.

Yukimura stares at his cousin, "Don't you want to spend spring break with me?"

Mayumi stares at his cousin, "Iie, I love spending the seasons with you. You're like a best friend to me. You and Gen-kun, and Misumi."

"But you'd rather be with Niou?"

Mayumi was silent; she just stared at her cousin trying to hold back her tears.

"Saa, you're eyes are getting teary on such a beautiful day." Yukimura pinched his cousin's chin, "Smile."

Mayumi forces a smile.

"Let's go, let's go play some video games in the arcade." Yukimura pulled on her cousin's hand.

"The arcade? Demo, Seiichi, you don't like the arcade." Mayumi resisted.

"Maybe just for today I do." Yukimura turned his head to smile at his cousin.

_Seiichi, what will I ever do without you?_ Mayumi asks herself as she follows her cousin along.

-oOo-

"Gomen ne Hiroshi, I know we've been planning this trip a long time." Yagyuu's oto-san apologized to him as they were putting down their camping equipment from their car.

"Daijabou Oto-san, we still went, it was just cut short." Yagyuu assured his oto-san.

"The price of being a doctor I guess."

"I understand Oto-san." Yagyuu nodded.

"Oh, you're back." His Okaa-san greeted them as she opened the door.

"Hai, we had to cut the trip short, the hospital called me up for an emergency." His oto-san explained.

"Mou, Hiroshi must be really disappointed, you've been looking forward to this hiking trip with your oto-san for a while." His okaa-san patted his head.

"Daijabou okaa-san, an emergency is not something we plan." Yagyuu smiled at his mother.

"Are, Hiroshi-niisan, you're back early?" his imouto hugged him.

"Hai, oto-san had an emergency so we had to cut the trip short." Yagyuu explained.

"Then can you help me buy things for school opening then?" his imouto excitedly tugged his sleeves.

"Why don't you let your nii-san rest for a while first?" His mother dragged his imouto away from him.

"Sa, I'll be leaving for the hospital now."

"Be careful." His okaa-san kissed his oto-san as he was leaving.

Yagyuu felt a pinch in his chest seeing how sweet his parents were, making him ask himself if he'll ever find someone to come home to. He quickly shakes the thought away, thinking he was only in middle school and why would he think about those things.

His imouto noticed the look in his eyes and tugged his sleeves, "Onii-san, daijabou desu ka?"

Yagyuu looks at his imouto's innocent eyes, she was so young and innocent, he wishes he could protect her from ever getting hurt. "Daijabou desu." He pats her head.

-oOo-

"We're fine." Yukimura says over the speaker a hint of irritation evident in his voice.

"Who's that Seiichi? Is that Gen-kun?" Mayumi asks his cousin as they were spending another day together.

"Hai. Sanada, will you just enjoy your fishing trip, Mayumi and I are having a blast." Yukimura tells Sanada over the phone.

"Gen-kun, stop worrying about us, we're enjoying our spring break." Mayumi shouts over the mouthpiece.

"See, I told you, we're doing great." Yukimura repeated. "Hai, hai, chotto matte." Yukimura covers the mouthpiece, "Ano, Mayumi-kun, will you excuse me a while, I just need to talk to Sanada about tennis club stuffs, mind if I walk over there for a while?" Yukimura asked permission from his cousin who was busy eating a giant parfait.

"Hmn." Mayumi nodded.

"Arigato." Yukimura steps away a distance until he was sure Mayumi could no longer hear him. "Sanada, I'm running out of idea to keep her busy."

"That's it, I'm telling oto-san we should come home." Sanada says on the other line.

"Baka! What reason are you going to tell him?" Yukimura reprimands his best friend.

"I don't know, I'll think of something." Sanada rubbed his temple.

"You'll only be gone another day, and school will start in a few days so I'll just keep her busy some more. Demo, Sanada, can you give me some ideas, because I'm seriously running out of things to do with her." Yukimura admitted.

"You're asking me? Seriously Yukimura, me?" Sanada replied; he was after all really bad at planning activities, unless of course it involved tennis practice.

"You're right, well, I can't think of anyone to ask, Renji won't be back from Hawaii until the weekend, Marui's still on a trip with Akutagawa-san's family, Jackal is busy with the family business, Akaya, well, I don't think I can get anything out of Akaya. Yagyuu's on a hiking trip with his oto-san, and well, Niou is of course out of the question—. " Yukimura stopped at mid-sentence after he spotted a familiar figure walking by.

"E? Moshi moshi, Yukimura?" Sanada called out from the other line.

"Eto, I think I just found a new diversion. Ja ne Sanada, bye-bye." Yukimura hang up on Sanada. "Yagyuu!" he calls out to the familiar figure.

Yagyuu turns his head towards the familiar voice, "Yukimura-kun, been a while."

"You're back already from the hiking trip?" Yukimura asked as he walked over.

"Hai, oto-san had an emergency call from the hospital so we had to cut the trip short, we've been back two days now." Yagyuu explained.

"Onii-san, who's he?" Yagyuu's imouto asked as she tugged on his brother's sleeves.

"Aa, this is Yukimura Seiichi-kun; he's out tennis club buchou." Yagyuu introduced Yukimura to his imouto.

"Hello." Yukimura smiled at Yagyuu's imouto.

"Hello." She replied as she shyly hid behind her niisan.

"Kawaii." Yukimura smiled and commented.

"What are you doing here Yukimura-kun? Didn't you have any spring break vacation planned?" Yagyuu inquired of his buchou.

"Aa. Sanada and I were supposed to tag along our oto-san's fishing trip but I opted to stay behind. Hang out with Mayumi for the spring break." Yukimura explained with a smile.

"Sou dane." Yagyuu replied in a sad tone.

"We're eating parfait, would you care to join us?" invited the two.

"Parfait?" Yagyuu's imouto's eyes lit up.

"Oi, oi, you're not allowed too much sweets remember?" Yagyuu reminded his imouto.

"Mou, onii-chan just a small serving—." She made puppy eyes and pouted at his brother, "Please." This of course made Yagyuu's heart melt.

"Fine, just a small serving iiyo?" Yagyuu responded.

"Yey! You're the best onii-chan!" his imouto hugs him before rushing off to the parfait counter to choose what flavour she wanted.

"Aw. Hiroshi-oniichan is such a softy when it comes to his imouto." Yukimura teased.

Yagyuu cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses to hide his blush. "So, you've been hanging out with Suzuki-kun all spring break?"

"Hai."

"Niou-kun still hasn't called her huh?" Yagyuu asked as they followed his imouto to the counter.

"Apparently."

"How is she?"

"Surviving, I can see that she misses him." Yukimura glances over to his cousin who was busy chomping on the giant parfait she'd been eating since a while back.

"Onii-chan I want the strawberry one."

"Iiyo." Yagyuu pays for his imouto's parfait and they walk over to the table where Mayumi was seated.

"Konnichiwa." Yagyuu greeted the girl who still had a dessertspoon in her mouth.

Mayumi's eyes shot up and danced from Yagyuu to Yukimura to the little girl they were with to the strawberry parfait that Yagyuu was holding, frankly, she was more interested in the parfait than the three other figures standing in front of her.

"Take that spoon out of your mouth." Yukimura pulls on the spoon hanging on Mayumi's mouth.

"Gomennasai." Mayumi wipes the ice cream on the side of her mouth.

"I saw Yagyuu and his imouto walking around and I invited them over." Yukimura explained seeing the bewildered look on his cousin's eyes.

"Sou dane." Mayumi replied trying hard to swallow the ice cream in her mouth.

"I hope you don't mind us joining you." Yagyuu politely nodded as he helped his imouto settle down in a chair and placing the strawberry parfait on the table.

"Konnichiwa, Yagyuu Kimiko desu." Yagyuu's imouto introduced herself to Mayumi.

_Kawaii ne_. Mayumi thought as she took the little girl's hand and shook it, "Suzuki Mayumi desu, yoroshiku."

Yukimura smiled seeing the two girls seemingly getting along.

Yagyuu tried hard not to stare at Mayumi but was seriously failing at it.

"So, are you going to Rikkai as well Yagyuu-kun?" Mayumi addressed the little girl.

"Hmn, I'll graduate from Elementary in five years, and then I'll attend Rikkai like Hiroshi-oniichan." The little girl proudly replied.

"You really idolize your nii-san don't you?" Mayumi continued to converse with the little girl.

"Hai. Onii-chan is the best!" Kimiko declared.

"Sou dane." Mayumi agreed and smilingly stared at the girl then at Yagyuu.

Yagyuu blushed a little when he noticed Mayumi staring at him.

Mayumi noticed the blush and immediately took her eyes off of Yagyuu and back to the almost empty parfait glass in front of her.

"Onii-chan I'm done." Kimiko told her brother.

"Then you better drink some water and wash your face up." Yagyuu told his imouto.

"I'll go help you wash your face Kimiko-chan." Yukimura volunteered.

"Iiyo." Kimiko agreed and looked at his brother for approval.

"Iiyo, go with Seiichi-niisan and wash your face." Yagyuu gave permission to his imouto.

"Let's go Kimiko-chan." Yukimura held the little girl's hands and led her to the sink to wash her face.

"You're imouto is kawaii." Mayumi complimented.

"Aa, aren't they all are, when they're young and innocent like that." Yagyuu agreed as they both followed Kimiko and Yukimura with their eyes.

"It's sweet of you to be spending your spring break with her." Mayumi complimented.

"Aa. I figured I should spend with her while I can, until she grows old enough to find some guy she'd fall in love with and spend less time with me, and I'll just be the strict oniisan who won't let her out on dates." Yagyuu reasoned out.

"I don't think she'd look at you that way Yagyuu-kun." Mayumi commented.

"Maybe." Yagyuu replied with a smile on his lips.

"I think she'll think of you as the sweetest oniisan in the world." Mayumi continued as she stared at Kimiko and Yukimura playing with the water in the sink.

Yagyuu's smile was wiped off and he turned to stare at the girl seated across him. _I wish I could do that same for you, but you're not mine to make happy_.

"Oniichan! Oniichan! Look was Seiichi-oniisan gave me." Kimiko showing his brother a tissue origami that Yukimura gave her after washing up.

"Aa, that's awesome, did you thank Seiichi-oniisan for that?" Yagyuu patted his imouto's head.

"Hai." Kimiko replied before snuggling up to his brother.

"Well, shall we go now?" Yagyuu asked his imouto.

"Where are you two heading off to?" Yukimura asked.

"We're going to go buy some stuff for Kimiko, for school." Yagyuu replied.

"Ne, Suzuki-neesan, do you want to come with us?" Kimiko jumped from his brother's lap and pulled on Mayumi's hand.

"E?" Mayumi was caught off guard by the question.

"Kimiko, let's not disturb Suzuki-neesan." Yagyuu reprimanded his imouto.

"Iie, it's okay, I'd love to come with you Kimiko-chan." Mayumi smiled at the little girl and patted her head.

"Hontouni?" Kimiko's eyes lit up.

"Sumimasen." Yagyuu apologized.

"Daijabou Yaguu-kun." Mayumi smiled at the boy.

"Sa, I guess we'll be tagging along with you then." Yukimura declared trying his best to look innocent.

"Let's go Suzuki-neesan." Kimiko pulled on Mayumi's hand.

"Iiyo and you can call me Mayumi-neesan, ne Kimiko-chan." Mayumi bent over and ruffled the girl's hair.

"Hai." Kimiko replied joyfully and ran ahead.

"Kimiko, be careful." Yagyuu called out.

"Daijabou Yagyuu-kun." Yukimura patted his teammate as they trailed behind the two girls.

"Is that why you called us over Yukimura-kun?" Yagyuu asked his buchou.

"Nani?"

"You knew my imouto could distract Suzuki-kun from thinking about Niou didn't you? That's why you called me over right?" Yagyuu asked the demigod.

"Sa, I've been caught." Yukimura chuckled.

"Daijabou, if it'll help her smile, even just for today." Yagyuu stares at Mayumi with sad eyes. _Baka Niou-kun! Why haven't you called her yet?_

"Hmn." Yukimura stares at the bespectacled boy walking beside him.

-oOo-

Niou types some things in his cell phone and quickly erases it again; he types something in and erases it again. _Mou! Why can't I do this?_ He fists the wall of his room. _What's wrong with you Masaharu? Just say sorry already._ He convinces himself, but fails. _Baka! It's almost been two weeks since you last spoke to each other, will you man up and talk to her already!_ He continues to have an internal debate.

"Masaharu, we're home!" he heard hi okaa-san calling out.

"Aa. Welcome home." He replies as he steps out of his room.

"What's with the sulky face?" his neesan greeted him.

"Onii-chan you look pale." His otouto noted.

"Have you been sulking inside the house the whole time we were gone?" his neesan inquired.

"So what if I was?" Niou replied bitterly.

"Son, can I talk to you?" his oto-san called out to him.

Niou dragged his feet to go to the patio where his oto-san headed.

"What is it that's been bothering you Masaharu? This isn't like you, you're usually the lively and adventure filled one." His oto-san asked straight to the point.

"Ma." Niou shrugged his shoulder.

"I thought you were dating someone. Suzuki was her name wasn't it?" his oto-san affirmed.

"Hai." Niou shyly admitted.

"Did you two break up?"

"Iie."

"Did you have a fight?"

"Betsuni."

His oto-san sighs, he knew his son was not that best with words, "Iiyo, whatever it is, if it's your fault you better man up and admit you were wrong. School will be starting in a few days, how are you going to face her if you don't even try to make amends right now?" his oto-san pats his back and leaves to go back in the house.

Niou follows his oto-san but stop to look at the stars that spring night, _I wonder what you're doing right now?_

-oOo-

It was the first day of their senior year. He couldn't believe two weeks had gone by so quickly. He couldn't believe it had gone by without even a single word between them. Niou wouldn't admit it publicly, but he missed Mayumi desperately. He stood there, in the hallway, waiting.

"Oi! Niou how was your spring break?" Marui greeted him.

"Peaceful." Was his response, frankly, Marui was not the person he wanted to talk to right now.

"Have you seen Jackal?" Marui continued to bug him.

"Probably already in his classroom." Was the irritated response.

"Touchy." Was Marui's comment before leaving him alone.

Niou's eyes continued to wander the corridor searching for a familiar purple head, but the oceans of students seem to drown him.

"Akaya." He called out to his kohai.

"Hai Niou-senpai?" Akaya replied held his eyes closed, waiting for something to drop unto him as a welcome back prank from Niou, but there was none.

"Have you seen Yukimura?"

Akaya opened his eyes, "Iie, gomen senpai."

"Iiyo." Niou left the second year ace alone.

Akaya followed his senpai with his eyes and scratched his head, wondering why Niou seemed preoccupied that morning.

Niou couldn't stand and wait any more, so he went on and walked over to section three's classroom and went ahead and took a peek inside. Yukimura was not there yet, neither was Mayumi. He heard girls screaming down the hallway, screaming like that on a first day of school only mean one thing, the Rikkai big three had arrived, and where Yukimura was, Mayumi would probably be. So Niou rushed to the direction of the screaming and he was not mistaken, there they were walking the hallway in all their glory, Yanagi, with his fresh from Hawaii tan, Sanada and that stern face he always had, Yukimura and that friendly smile off court. But more importantly behind them was the girl he had been waiting for.

"She looks different don't you think?" Yagyuu asked Niou as he appeared out of nowhere.

"Yagyuu?" Niou asked surprised.

"She looks very pretty today don't you think?" Yagyuu asked again as they watched the big three pass by with Mayumi trailing behind them.

"Nani? When did she cut her hair?" Niou asked Yagyuu.

"I don't know, that last time I saw her she still had longer hair." Yagyuu responded.

"Nani? When was the last time you saw her exactly?" Niou asked, jealousy obvious in his voice.

"Three or four days ago I think, she was with Yukimura in the mall eating parfait." Yagyuu replied.

"And you just happened to be conveniently there?" Niou asked.

"I was shopping for school things for my imouto." Yagyuu reasoned out.

Niou glared at Yagyuu.

"I think it suites her better, the short layered hair." Yagyuu completely ignoring Niou's glaring.

"Yagyuu." Niou had a threatening tone.

"Nani?" Yagyuu replied as he adjusted his glasses.

"She's my girlfriend." Niou reminded the gentleman.

"I know." Yagyuu turns to walk to class, "Although, you haven't been acting like a boyfriend to her, have you, Niou-kun?" Yagyuu comments before finally walking away.

_Yeah, I haven't._ Niou admits to himself. Then stares at the girl who was entering her own classroom with her cousin. _And yes, she looks very pretty with the new haircut._

**-oOo-**

**There a sneak on their spring break. Next chapter we'll definitely be following the PoT story line.**


	15. Emancipating is to Restraining

**Chapter 14: Emancipating is to Restraining**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**-oOo-**

"You look pale." Mayumi told Yukimura as they were packing their bags for the day.

"Daijabou desu." Yukimura forced a smile so his cousin won't worry about him.

"Are you sure, 'cause you look really pale to me."

"Daijabou, daijabou. Go on, get to the library, I'll meet up with you after practice." Yukimura shooed his cousin.

"Are you really sure? Maybe you shouldn't practice today Seiichi-kun." Mayumi still staring at her cousin.

"Daijabou. I promise." Yukimura widening his smile to convince his cousin.

"Yukimura." Sanada called out appearing at the door of the classroom.

"I'll be there is a minute." He replied.

"Iiyo, Gen-kun is here so I'll be going to the library now." Mayumi told her cousin.

"Iiyo, I'll see you later."

"Gen-kun, he looks pale, please don't make him strain himself." Mayumi whispered to Sanada as she walked pass him at the door.

"Hmn." Sanada nodded before looking back at Yukimura.

"What did she say to you Genechiro?" Yukimura asked the stern boy as he noticed Mayumi whisper something.

"She's just worried about you." Sanada replied.

"She's always worried about something. I wish she'd worry about her relationship with Niou right now, it's been a week since school started and they're still trying to avoid each other." Yukimura complained as he grabs his bag and walks over to Sanada.

"You told me to stay out of it so." Sanada murmured.

"What are you murmuring about, you know it won't do any good even if we interfere. Like you said before, Niou's life within the tennis club is our business, outside the tennis club, we can't interfere unless he asks for our help, and he hasn't so." Yukimura replied doing all the hand gestures.

"Genechiro, Seiichi, wait up!" Yanagi called from behind.

"Let's go Renji, practice should be starting by now." Yukimura smiled and motioned for the Master to walk faster.

"What's with the face Genechiro?" Yanagi asked the crumpled up Sanada.

Yukimura chuckled from the expression in Yanagi's face.

"What's wrong with my face?" Sanada snaps back at Yanagi.

"Not that I don't mind, since you're almost always dragging around that expression on your face, but you just seem particularly irritated today." Yanagi explained.

"He's still pissed that Niou hasn't talked to Mayumi." Yukimura replied.

"Sou dane. Being the overly concerned best friend again." Yanagi concluded.

"It's not my place to be angry any way." Sanada blurted out.

"Iie, it's not." Yukimura agreed.

"I think Suzuki-kun is doing fairly well, despite the occasional bursts of running whenever she sees Niou in the hallway. And Niou has been noted to have a particular liking to trickery again. Even Yagyuu has been complaining to me about Niou's misbehaviours since school started." Yanagi elaborated.

"Well, if even Yagyuu is complaining then Niou must really be on whit's end." Yukimura replied.

"I believe Niou is suffering as much from Suzuki-kun not talking to him as well." Yanagi concluded.

"So says the Master." Yukimura agreed.

"Well, then, he better man up and talk to her already." Sanada declared rolling his eyes on his two closest friends.

"He has a point too." Yukimura agreed.

"Buchou!" Akaya running towards the three all covered in something.

"Doushita Akaya?" Yukimura replied.

"Mou! Niou-senpai booby-trapped my locker with chicken eggs." Akaya complained.

"I think we can make omelettes and feed the whole team with all that chicken egg on you Akaya." Yanagi declaring his observation.

"Yanagi-senpai." Akaya whined.

"Stop complaining and get yourself cleaned then go back to practice Akaya!" Sanada shouted at the boy.

Akaya looked at Yukimura with pleading eyes.

"Listen to Sanada, Akaya, we'll talk to Niou later. I'll make sure he runs a thousand laps." Yukimura patted the boy on the shoulder.

Akaya's eyes lit up after hearing the 'thousand laps' part of Yukimura's reply then went running to clean up and get back to practice.

"You spoil him." Sanada glares at Yukimura.

Yukimura smiles at Sanada before answering, "And you give him though love."

"And what am I?" Yanagi asks the two as he was caught in between them.

"You're the tutor." They both reply.

-oOo-

"Suzuki-kun!" Yagyuu called the girl rather loudly in the library earning him a shush and a glare from the librarian. "Gomennasai sensei." Yagyuu bowed before walking over to the girl studying in a corner.

"Doushita Yagyuu-kun?" Mayumi stared at the panting boy.

"Come, quickly!" Yagyuu pulled on the girl.

"E-E?" Mayumi confused as to why Yagyuu was dragging her out of the library.

"We have to hurry." Yagyuu declared before realizing he was dragging the girl. "Oh, gomen." They both stop running for a while and stood awkwardly.

"Nande Yagyuu-kun?" Mayumi asked confused.

"It's Yukimura, he—." Yagyuu explained but was not able to finish because the girl had already ran away from him towards the tennis courts.

_Seiichi, I knew something was wrong with him. Why did he force himself? Oh Kami-sama, please, let him be alright._ Mayumi thought to herself as she ran as fast as she could to the tennis court, Yagyuu quickly catching up to her.

"Ma-chan!" Sanada surprised that the girl showed up at the court, "Yagyuu, you shouldn't have—."

"Where is Seiichi?"

"He's been taken to the infirmary, I'm on my way there now to check on him." Sanada replied.

"What happened?"

"Seiichi collapsed during a match with Sanada." Yanagi explained as he and Sanada assisted the girl to walk towards the infirmary.

"I knew there was something wrong with him today, he looked really pale before practice." Mayumi mumbled to herself.

"Yagyuu, go back to practice, and tell the others that I said no slacking off." Sanada instructed the bespectacled boy.

"Hai." Yagyuu replied then went on his way.

"Ano, Yagyuu-kun." Mayumi called after the boy.

Yagyuu turned to face the girl.

"Arigato gozaimasu." She bowed.

"Dou iteshimasite." Yagyuu replied then headed off.

Mayumi stared at Yagyuu's back, somehow she felt she had betrayed him, choosing Niou instead of him, when it has always been Yagyuu who was there for her.

"Ma-chan." Sanada called.

"H-Hai." Mayumi turned to follow Sanada and Yanagi to the infirmary.

-oOo-

"You didn't have to come with me today Mayumi." Yukimura told her cousin who was seating beside him outside the doctor's office that weekend.

"Iie, I want to know why you collapsed at practice the other day." Mayumi insisted.

"Demo, Okaa-san and Takara are already here to keep me company." Yukimura reasoned out.

"But I want to be here as well!" Mayumi replied stubbornly.

"Iiyo, iiyo." Yukimura tried to calm his cousin down.

"Yukimura Seiichi-san, the doctor will see you now." The nurse called out.

-oOo-

What is silence? What is the difference between silence and ignorance? Is it really better to keep silent and be ignorant than to say something and still look foolish? It's been a five weeks. They kept avoiding each other, they keep glancing from afar but never really doing anything about it.

"Still insist on keeping the silent treatment?" Yukimura asked Mayumi as he caught her staring at Niou from their classroom window.

"Seiichi, shouldn't you be thinking about your health right now, instead of my current relationship with—." Mayumi pointed out the window instead of saying his name.

"Niou?"

"Hai, Hai." Mayumi turned away.

"Why can't you say his name?" Yukimura pressed.

Mayumi sighed. "Because—."

"It's not over Mayumi." Yukimura softly told his cousin.

"It's been five weeks Seiichi—." Mayumi began to sob.

"Hey. Easy. It'll work out." Yukimura hugged his cousin.

"I just miss him so much Seiichi." Mayumi admitted.

"I'm sure he misses you too." Yukimura whispered.

"Yeah, he does. Very much." Niou declares as he lean on the doorjamb of their classroom.

Yukimura and Mayumi both lift their head towards the silverette standing at the door.

"How did you get there? You were, you were—." Mayumi pointing out the window where she was staring at Niou playing on the courts.

"Look again." Niou replied pointing out the window.

Yukimura and Mayumi then looked where they saw Sanada scolding Yagyuu for wearing Niou's wig and screaming demanding he tell him where Niou was.

"I should have known." Yukimura glares at Niou.

Niou smirks.

Mayumi hides her face on Yukimura's back.

"Suzuki, can we talk?" Niou walks closer to the girl, completely ignoring the fact that Yukimura was there.

"Practice is on going Niou." Yukimura interrupted.

"Suzuki, please." Niou continued to ignore Yukimura.

"You do know that I can exile you for ignoring me, don't you Niou?" Yukimura narrowed his eyes.

Niou stares at him, his face was pleading.

"I'll take care of Sanada for you." Yukimura sighed and eyes the silverette before turning to his cousin. "Will you be able to handle this alone?" he asks the girl.

"Hmn." Mayumi nodded shyly.

"Iiyo." Yukimura stood up and began to walk out the room but not without threatening Niou, "You do know that if you hurt her any more, not only with Sanada make your life miserable, but I will personally see to it that you s-u-f-f-e-r." Yukimura whispered in Niou's ears.

Niou turns his head towards Yukimura and replies sarcastically, "I'm so afraid."

Yukimura smirks before finally stepping out of the classroom.

"Should we talk here, or do you want to go up the roof top?" Niou asks Mayumi who was still seated with her head bowed.

"Here is fine."

"Iie, it's not, come on." Niou grabs the girls hands and drags her up to the roof top.

-oOo-

"Yukimura." Sanada acknowledges the demigod's presense in practice.

"Niou will be late today, there was something he had to take care of." Yukimura replied.

"How important is it that he has to be this late?" Sanada asked not buying the excuse.

"Very." Yukimura glares at Sanada.

At that point Sanada understood what Yukimura meant and completely shut up about the topic.

"Where do you think Niou could be?" Marui asked Jackal.

"Beats me."

"Probably slacking off somewhere. He's definitely going to get it when he comes, Sanada fuku-buchou will surely make him run laps until his tongue hangs out." Akaya said with a grin.

"Oi, Yagyuu, you have any idea where your doubles partner is?" Marui asked the gentleman who had just finished running his punishment laps that Sanada gave him for pretending to be Niou earlier.

"I believe he's sweeping up his mess." Yagyuu replied as he adjusted his glasses.

"E?" Mayui and Akaya replied, obviously they didn't get what Yagyuu was saying.

"I believe what Yagyuu-kun meant was, that Niou has finally got the courage to talk with Suzuki-kun, and it looks as if Seiichi has given him the okay to skip practice today for this purpose." Yanagi explained.

"Oh…" Akaya and Marui reacted to the Master's explanation.

-oOo-

Mayumi sat on a bench in the roof top, this was the first time she's been up there for the past five weeks since Niou and her stopped talking.

"Suzuki." Niou called the girl over to where he was standing.

"Nande?" Mayumi lifted her head.

"Iiyo, I'll go over there then." Niou decided and walked over.

Mayumi simple bowed her head.

Niou clasped her face in his palms and lifted her head. "Please look at me." He said gently.

Mayumi glances at Niou then quickly turns her eyes down.

"Suzuki, gomennasai for ignoring you for so long. I guess, I guess I was jealous." Niou began to explain.

Mayumi looked at Niou's face.

"I was jealous that you spent time with Sanada, I was jealous that you shared something special with him. That you knew him first." Niou continued as he stared at Mayumi's eyes.

Mayumi kept silent, patiently listening to what Niou had to say.

"I was afraid that I didn't know who you truly were. That after spending time with Sanada, you'd change, and be someone who I didn't know." Niou continued, it was difficult for him to say all these things, but he just knew he had too. He had to say it, before it was too late.

Mayumi blinked and waited, if Niou had anything else to say.

"The past five weeks has been the saddest five weeks of my life, because I didn't get to spend it with you." Niou continued. "And when I saw you the first day of school, I wanted to talk to you, demo, my pride got in the way."

"And?"

"And?" Niou swallowed hard before continuing, "Even if it's irritating to admit it, talking with Yagyuu sort of helped me come to terms with it."

Mayumi tilted her head to the left.

"I can't change you past. I can't take away everything that hunts you from before. I can't take away the pain of all that. But I can give you a present that can make you forget the past. And—."

"And?"

"Maybe even a future that you would look forward too." Niou concluded.

Mayumi's lips twitched.

"Hontouni, gomennasai." Niou bowed and placed his forehead next to Mayumi's.

"Sumimasen for not telling you sooner." Mayumi replied.

Niou pulled the girl into a tight embrace, to which Mayumi did not resist.

-oOo-

"Yagyuu." Sanada called the gentleman at the end of afternoon practice.

"Hai?"

"Can I have a word with you?" Sanada continued.

"Hai." Yagyuu dropped his bag and sat down again.

"About Ma-chan and Niou." Sanada started.

Yagyuu cringed.

"Are really okay with all this?" Sanada asked with a straight face.

"Niou-kun, he's more than meets the eye. He's actually a very sensitive and caring guy if you get to know him better." Yagyuu replied.

"You two have grown to be really good friends haven't you?" Sanada asked closing his locker.

"Hai. I believe Niou-kun really cares for Suzuki-kun very much. He may be playful and loves to play tricks of everyone else, but as you can see, he's pretty serious about tennis. If he can be that serious about a sport, don't you think he can be even more serious about a relationship? What more, one with a girl like Suzuki-kun?" Yagyuu continued.

"But what about you? How do you honestly feel about this?"

"What do you mean, what do I feel?" Yagyuu clarified.

"Yagyuu, let's not be pretentious about this, we all know you like Ma-chan as much as Niou does. Maybe, maybe even more."

Yagyuu cleared his throat, because Sanada was right, he did like, no love her, maybe even more than Niou does.

"The past five weeks, he ignored her completely. I wanted to strangulate Niou, but Yukimura wouldn't let me interfere." Sanada told Yagyuu.

"Niou has a difficult time coming to terms with what had unfolded before us." Yagyuu defended.

"Yukimura told me that you and your imouto helped keep her pre-occupied during the Spring break."

"Ah, Iie, that was just one time and it was a coincidence that we were there." Yagyuu explained.

"You always seem to be there when she needs you Yagyuu, when Niou isn't." Sanada firmly said.

Yagyuu stands and grabs his bag. "Sanada-kun, arigato for opening your thoughts to me, demo, I believe Niou-kun cares for Suzuki-kun dearly and deeply. When I decided to step away to give them a chance, I must admit, I never threw away whatever feelings I have for Suzuki-kun. Demo, she chose Niou-kun, and I respect that. Gomen, I'll be going on ahead."

-oOo-

"Mou!" Akaya surprised and pointing at something as he, Marui and Jackal were walking home from practice.

"Oh, looks like they finally made up." Marui declared with a smirk seeing what Akaya was pointing at.

"About time to." Jackal agreed with a smile nothing how Niou was holding Mayumi's hands as they were walking ahead of the three.

"So that's why Yukimura-buchou and Sanada-fukubuchou were both light mooded in today's practice." Akaya concluded.

"Ma, ma, it's better like this, we don't suffer the wrath of Sanada and Yukimura when those two aren't getting along." Marui concluded.

"I would have to agree with Marui on this one." Jackal stated.

-oOo-

A few weeks after, and several fainting episodes in court. Yukimura finally decides on a solution that would change not only the tennis club's morale, but Mayumi's as well.

"So, you're proceeding with the surgery huh?" Sanada asked Yukimura as they stopped over a bride on their way home.

"Hmn. In any case, I can't play tennis is this state." Yukimura replied.

"Have you told Ma-chan about this?"

"Well, she and Niou seem to be getting along well again, so at least I don't have to worry about her being alone when I get admitted." Yukimura declared.

"And the team?"

"I think, I'm leaving the team in good hands. Please take good care of the team while I'm gone." Yukimura smiled at his best friend.

"Is there no other way?"

"We've tried everything Sanada. I can't keep ignoring the fact that my condition is getting worse by the minute." Yukimura explained.

"When will you be admitted?"

"Sometime next week."

"Will Ma-chan send you off?"

"Hmn."

"Will you be alright with this decision Yukimura?"

"Sorry for troubling you with this Sanada."

"Iie, demo, I'm worried about Ma-chan, she's so used with you being around."

"She'll still have you, and Niou—and maybe, even Yagyuu."

"Yagyuu?"

"Come now Sanada, don't pretend that I don't know. I know you talked to Yagyuu a few days back." Yukimura teased.

"Let's not worry about that now. Just focus on yourself for a while."

"Sou dane."

**-oOo-**


	16. Listening is to Inattentive

**Chapter 15: Listening is to Inattentive**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**-oOo-**

It was just another day in Rikkai Dai. Most of the girls were hovering around the tennis club boys like they usually do. Especially now that tennis season has begun again. Somehow people have grown accustomed to seeing the wallflower walking around with the resident prankster. Although there were still some who would whisper here and there, but eventually shuts their mouths when the silverette darts them with razor sharp gazes from his emerald orbs. Then of course there was the fact that the Rikkai Big Three was down to two, definitely, something was amiss since Yukimura was admitted to the hospital for treatment.

"Stop slacking off! Even if it's just practice rounds, what face will you show Yukimura if you lose?" The raven-haired fukubuchou snapped at his teammates as another afternoon practice went on.

"So, it's true right?" Marui whispered to the rest of the regulars as they were running laps while Sanada was busy growling at the juniors.

"Nani?" Replied Jackal.

"Hyotei was beaten by Seigaku." Marui continued.

"Pipe down a little, Genechiro might hear you." Yanagi warned the group as he noticed Sanada glanced their way.

"I thought we'd be going against Hyotei in the Kantou finals, they were last year's first runner up, how could they lose to Seigaku?" Niou stated disappointed.

"Tezuka got injured during the match against Atobe and will not be participating in the rest of the Kantou Tournament, which means Seigaku won't be as strong as we think. We'll easily beat them to pulp." Akaya said proudly.

"How about the super rookie we've been hearing about, what was his name?" Yagyuu joined in the discussion.

"Echizen, and he's strong." Yanagi replied.

"Oi, Marui, isn't that orange hair kid from Hyotei your friend? Has he said anything to you?" Niou probed Marui.

"Jirou? Aa, demo, we only talk about food when we're together." Marui replied while making a mental note of calling the serve-and-volley player from Hyotei for parfaits during the weekend.

"You're such a pig Marui." Niou teased.

"Nani?" Marui reacted violently.

"Oi, yamero, if Sanada hears you we're in big trouble." Yanagi reprimanded the group as they turn their last lap.

"It doesn't matter how good Echizen is, without Tezuka, Seigaku ain't that strong." Akaya smugly said.

"How about that tensai player, Fuji Syuusuke?" Jackal asked popping Akaya's bubble of pride.

"I'll crush Fuji if we ever face them." Akaya proudly declared.

"Oi, oi, Akaya, no need to get all rowdy, besides, they need to beat Rokkaku first, for now we need to concentrate of Fudoumine." Jackal reminded the group.

"Where did they come from? I've never heard of them before." Yagyuu asked, being that it was his first year as a regular and only his second year in the tennis club.

"Well, you really wouldn't Yagyuu-kun, because they were disqualified from the competition last year when you joined the club, something about violence from a Junior member. They only re-qualified this year, but I hear they're strong, we must not underestimate them." Yanagi explained.

"Regulars! If you're finished with your laps drink some water then start your practice matches!" Sanada screamed at them from a distance.

"Ayayay! Sanada's at it again." Marui complained as he wiped water from his jersey being startled by Sanada's screaming.

"Mou! I wish Yukimura-buchou would get better already, so he can come back, Sanada-fukubuchou is driving me nuts!" Akaya complained as he covered his ears as they all hear Sanada's voice echoing as he was scolding a few juniors about something or another.

"Niou-kun, do you have any news about Yukimura-kun from Suzuki-kun?" Yagyuu asked his best friend who was showering his head on the faucet.

"Suzuki hasn't said anything to me yet, but we're all going there for a visit before the match with Fudoumine so I guess we'll have to find out then." Niou replies and grabs his tennis racket.

"Why are you all still standing there?" Sanada snapped at them.

"Sanada-fukubuchou!" Akaya jumped towards Marui and Jackal as their fukubuchou suddenly appeared behind him.

"I said start your practice matches!" Sanada glared at each of them before heading off to court A.

"How long has he been standing there?" Marui asked Jackal as Akaya was still pretty much grasping at their backs from fright.

"Ma, who knows, let's just go start our practice matches already, before Sanada really loses his temper." Jackal replied as each of them headed off to their respective courts.

-oOo-

Summer was definitely in the air, it was warmer and crisper, and the world was just so full of life, like winter never came. Even after practice the wallflower would patiently wait for her silver haired prince to rescue her from the clutches of her library books.

"I've come to rescue you form the evil library books that has been keeping you captive since practice began." Niou whispered in the girl's ears.

"Niou-kun, you're here." She replied startled from the silverettes breathe on her ears.

"I already told you, you can come watch us practice, you didn't have to stay in here. Besides, Sanada and you are best friends—." Niou began to blabber but was cut off by his girlfriend's finger on his lips.

"Niou-kun, you're really kawaii when you blabber like that, but right now, I don't want to hear it. Let's go home." She smiles, ruffles his hair and grabs her bag.

Niou was frozen for a while at what Mayumi had said, he blinked a few times thinking, _Did she just shut me up?_

"Niou-kun, are you coming?" Mayumi asked the still frozen boy.

Niou turns his head towards the girl waiting for him not so distant from where he was standing, _She just shut me up. _Niou smirks and shakes his head before realizing, no one has ever shut him up before, well, Yagyuu was an exception, and Sanada, and Yukimura. Oh well, maybe a couple had shut him up before, but Mayumi was definitely the first girl to have done it. "Let's go!" He scoops Mayumi at the waist and leads her out of the library.

"Yagyuu-kun!" Mayumi greets the bespectacled boy who was going into the library just as they were heading out.

"Konnichiwa." Yagyuu nodded at the couple.

"Yo! Not going home yet?" Niou replied casually to his best friend.

"Iie, I need to borrow a book before going home." Yagyuu replied and adjusted his glasses.

"Be careful going home later, ne, Yagyuu-kun." Mayumi smiled at the boy.

"Ja ne Yagyuu." Niou waved as he led Mayumi towards the school gates.

"Ja." Yagyuu replied silently before turning to enter the library.

"Still looking so sad."

"Sanada-kun!" Yagyuu flinched as he bumped into his fukubuchou who was also exiting the library.

"Hmn." The taller boy nodded.

"How long have you been standing there?" Yagyuu cleared his throat.

"Long enough to know what you're thinking Yagyuu." Sanada sternly replied.

"What are you talking about? Sa, excuse me Sanada-kun, I need to borrow a book and the library will be closing any minute now." Yagyuu excused himself and entered the library.

Sanada followed him with a knowing look on his eyes.

"Genechiro, did you get the book Yukimura wanted to borrow from the library?" Yanagi asked the raven-haired boy.

"Aa." Was the short and cold response.

"Genechiro, what are you doing?" Yanagi probed his friend.

"Walking away from you Yanagi."

"Very funny Genechiro." Yanagi sarcastically replied as he watched the boy walk away, then turned to see who else was inside the library. _Yagyuu-kun? What is Genechiro up to?_ He thought as he saw the bespectacled boy checking out a book.

-oOo-

There were so many words being spoken but each of them seemed like air to him, his mind was going blank at that moment, and he couldn't clearly see what was being presented in front of him. He was so tired from practice and seeing Mayumi waiting for him at the clubroom door came as a surprise.

"So, Niou-kun, you're coming right?" Mayumi asked with hopeful eyes.

"E?" Niou finally snapping out of his daze.

"Mou, you were not paying attention to a single word I was saying." Mayumi complained.

"Iie, iie, understood, hai, hai, I'm coming." Niou scratched his head thinking, _I'm coming to what? What was she saying a while ago?_

"Hontouni?" Mayumi gleefully replied.

"Hai." Niou faked a smile and forcefully nodded his head.

"Arigato Niou-kun, I'll meet you by the bus stop after your match with Fudoumine, iiyo?" Mayumi said as she was running away from the boy.

"Hai." Niou waved back still trying to figure out what he had agreed to do. When Mayumi was a good distance away Niou began pulling on his hair and banging his head on the clubroom's door. "What did I agreed to! Nani? Nani? Nani!"

Marui, Jackal, Akaya and Yanagi who were just on their way to change up from practice stood baffled at Niou was alternately pulling his hair and banging his head on the door.

"Why are you all still standing out here, we should change, Sanada-kun said we we're all going to visit Yukimura-kun today that's why we ended practice early." Yagyuu elaborately explained as he was walking towards the four who stood frozen not yet getting a glimpse of his doubles' partner.

"He's finally snapped." Marui muttered.

"Hai." Jackal nodded his head.

"What's happening senpai?" Akaya tugged on Yanagi's sleeves.

"I really can't understand either Akaya." The master admitted.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Yagyuu walked around the group and saw what Niou was doing, he was frozen for a while before snapping out of his own daze and grabbed Niou by the shoulder, "Niou-kun what are you doing, you're going to have a concussion if you keep that up."

"Yagyuu! Can you do me a favor?" Niou shook the gentleman violently.

"Ah! Now Niou-senpai is turning on Yagyuu-senpai!" Akaya screamed.

"Yagyuu, please, please, please, please!" Niou screamed as he continued to shake Yagyuu violently.

"A-Ano, N-Niou-kun, I'm getting a little bit dizzy." Yagyuu replied as he felt his head spinning from Niou's shaking.

"Yamero Niou, you're going to kill Yagyuu!" Marui jumped in to separate the two.

"Yagyuu, please, please, please, please!" Niou continued to shake Yagyuu.

"Niou-senpai, please don't kill Yagyuu-senpai!" Akaya tried to pull Yagyuu away from Niou.

"Yamero Niou!" Jackal tried to take Niou's hands off Yagyuu.

"Niou, I think Yagyuu has already lost consciousness, yamero!" Yanagi desperately pulled on Niou's hands.

"What are you all doing?" Sanada asked as he glared at his team.

"Sanada/Fukubuchou!" Everyone gasped and let go of Niou and Yagyuu.

"What are you doing to Yagyuu, Niou?" Sanada glared at the silverette.

"Betsuni." Niou let go of Yagyuu who fell over from the dizziness he was feeling.

"Daijabou Yagyuu?" Sanada asked the bespectacled boy who was being assisted by Yanagi and Akaya to get up from the ground.

"Hai, daijabou." Yagyuu replied as he brushed off the dust off his tennis jersey.

"Stop playing around and change up already, Yukimura is waiting for us." Sanada sternly commanded and walked into the clubroom to change.

-oOo-

"Minna, thanks for visiting me today." Yukimura smiled at the group as they were about to leave his hospital room.

"Yukimura-buchou get better soon, so you can join us in the Nationals." Akaya clenched his fist and smiled at his buchou.

"I surely will Akaya. Have you been following Sanada's training menu properly?" Yukimura asked the junior ace.

Sanada glares at Akaya.

"Mou." Akaya stumps his feet and walks out of the room.

"Ja ne Yukimura." Marui waved and followed Akaya out.

"See you again soon Yukimura." Jackal nodded before following the other two.

"Sa, Yukimura-kun, I hope to see you feeling better the next time we visit." Yagyuu adjusted his glasses before walking out himself.

"Seiichi, have you finished the book already?" Yanagi inquired.

"Aa, here, arigato for borrowing it for me." Yukimura handed over the book.

"Actually, it was Sanada who borrowed it form the library." Yanagi replied as he grabbed the book and handed it over to Sanada.

Sanada merely stared at Yukimura before glaring at Yanagi.

Yukimura chuckled a bit before finally speaking again, "Arigato, Sanada. By the way, Niou, can I talk to you a minute?"

Sanada and Yanagi stared at the bluenette and the silverette who were having a staring competition.

"Ja ne Seiichi." Yanagi signaled Sanada as he stepped out of the room.

"I'll visit you again." Sanada nodded at his best friend before also stepping out.

"What are you staring at Niou? I'm not going to eat you." Yukimura joked seeing the half terrified, half worried look on Niou's face.

"What is it?" Niou asked, defensiveness obvious in his tone.

"Have you bought a gift yet?" Yukimura asked with a smile.

"Gift?" Niou raised his brows.

"It's Minori-niisan's tanjoubi the day after tomorrow." Yukimura smiled at the clueless boy standing across the room.

"Mi-Minori-niisan?" Niou was getting more confused.

"Oh, that's right, you haven't met the family yet." Yukimura remembering that Niou hadn't been to Mayumi's house yet. "How long have you been dating my cousin again?" Yukimura's aura changed to deadly.

"Mi-Minori—Oh! Minori-niisan!" Niou forced a smile.

"Mayumi, did invite you to the celebration right? It's after the game with Fudoumine after all." Yukimura gave Niou a deadly glare.

"Ah, hai, hai, we we're talking about that a while ago before we headed here." Niou explained but secretly thinking, _So that's what she was talking about earlier._

"Sa, you better buy a really nice gift for Minori-niisan, he likes manga a lot." Yukimura smiled.

"Aa." Niou replied with an awkward smile.

-oOo-

Rikkai Dai Fuzoku Boy's Tennis Club is really good, they're very good actually. So good that they usually win the game by Singles 3, they never get to Singles 2, more so Singles 1. So that means, they bring out their best players first. If you are placed in the lineup as Singles 2 or Singles 1, don't bother warming up, because that means you're not going to play.

"Mou, at this rate, we won't get to play." Marui complained as they were watching Akaya play against Tachibana.

"Daijabou Marui-kun, you'll get your turn in the finals." Yagyuu patted the serve-and-volley player as he was still wiping his sweat from the Doubles 1 game that he and Jackal won.

"What did you expect, Sanada and Yanagi didn't even sweat during Doubles 2." Jackal commented.

"Oi, Niou, you've been dazing again." Marui waved his hand in front of Niou's face.

"How long has he been staring at tin air like that?" Yanagi asked as they all stared at Niou who was staring at nowhere.

"I don't know, he hasn't said anything either." Marui replied.

"Niou-kun, daijabou desu ka?" Yagyuu inquired.

"Hai." Was the short and simple response.

Sanada glanced over but said nothing, he was still pretty pissed at the fact that Tachibana got a set from Akaya.

-oOo-

It's very difficult to look for someone, who was purposely hiding from you. As much as it was difficult to wake someone, who was only pretending to be sleeping.

"A-Ano, Yagyuu-kun, have you seen Niou-kun?" Mayumi asked the boy who was walking towards him.

"Hai, he's right—." Yagyuu turned thinking Niou was still walking behind him and found him gone. "E? He was right here a while ago."

"I saw him in the bench when the game was going on, but he suddenly disappeared. I tried calling his phone but I couldn't reach it." Mayumi had a frustrated look on her face.

"He's around here somewhere." Yagyuu turned from side to side.

"Ano, Yagyuu-kun, do you think maybe—." Mayumi stopped and shoved the thought from her head.

"Maybe what Suzuki-kun?" Yagyuu asked the girl, somehow, he had an idea what she was referring to, but didn't want to jump into any conclusion.

"Iie, betsuni." I'll just try and find him, Mayumi turned to search for his boyfriend.

"Let me help you." Yagyuu instinctively reached for Mayumi's hands, but when their hands touched, he felt a sting of electricity run up his sleeves and his heart began to beat faster.

Mayumi turned to face Yagyuu, her heart beating just as fast.

"Ah, gomen." Yagyuu let go of the girl's hands.

"Daijabou, I'll just look for him myself. I'm very good at looking for Niou-kun, sometimes I think it's a talent." Mayumi joked before walking away.

Yagyuu stared at the girl's back his mind was blank.

_Yagyuu-kun's hand was so warm, warmer than Niou-kun's._ Mayumi thought as she was running to search for Niou.

"Ma-chan." Sanada called out after noticing the girl was running around.

"Gen-kun, have you seen Niou-kun?"

"He already left, said he had a headache." Sanada replied, clueless of what was happening.

"Oh." Mayumi's shoulder dropped. "He didn't tell me."

"I think Niou left his cell phone at home, maybe that's why he couldn't tell you." Yanagi covered, but he was well aware that Niou brought his cell phone with him, he even saw him turn it off before the games started.

"Oh, that's why I couldn't reach him, I've been trying to call him." Mayumi's eyes lightened a bit.

"We're going to go visit Yukimura to tell him the results of the match, do you want to come along?" Sanada offered.

"Iie, arigato, I need to be back home." Mayumi refused with a forced smile on her face.

"Iiyo, be careful going home Ma-chan." Sanada waved as he and Yanagi walked away.

_Niou-kun, why didn't you come talk to me that you had a headache, did you forget about Nii-chan's tanjoubi?_ Mayumi thought sadly as she walked towards the bus stop.

"Did you find him?"

"E?" She raised her head to find Yagyuu standing at the bus stop.

"Yagyuu-kun?" Mayumi was surprised that Yagyuu was still standing there, if she computed the time she spent searching for Niou, Yagyuu would probably have gotten on the first or the second bus that had passed that way.

"I ran into some old primary school friends and chatted a while with them." Yagyuu replied to an unasked question.

"Sou dane."

"So, did you find Niou-kun?" Yagyuu asked again.

"Iie, it seems he had a headache and went on home." Mayumi forced a smile.

Yagyuu who was fully aware of what was happening simply nodded, "He has been awfully quiet the whole game, so maybe he really did have a headache." Yagyuu tried to cover for Niou who messaged him earlier saying that if Mayumi asked for him, just go along with the cover story. Yagyuu felt guilty for lying to Mayumi, but he didn't want to hurt her by telling her Niou was actually hiding from her.

"Aa." Mayumi replied sadly as they stood there waiting for the next bus.

"The bus is here." Yagyuu informed the girl who seemed to be zoning out.

Quietly they travelled along, with Yagyuu's conscience bugging him, pinching every bit of his being as they stood in the bus. "Sa, this is my stop, see you in school Suzuki-kun."

"Yagyuu-kun!" Mayumi grabbed Yagyuu's tennis bag causing the boy to halt from getting off the bus.

"Hai?"

"Ano, would you like to come over to my house? It's my Onii-san's tanjoubi and we're celebrating." Mayumi looked into Yagyuu's eyes pleading, "Onegaishimasu." She bowed lightly.

Yagyuu felt his heart beating faster, Mayumi's pleading eyes pierced through his soft heart, "A-Ano, wouldn't it be a bother?" He replied unsure.

"I invited you, so it won't be a bother." Mayumi replied still holding on to Yagyuu's tennis bag.

"Iiyo." Yagyuu agreed, his heart filled with a mixture of guilt, pity and confusion.

"Hontou?" Mayumi's eyes lit up so brightly that he couldn't say 'no'.

"Hai. I'd love to come over and celebrate with your family." Yagyuu assured the girl.

**-oOo-**

**I know, I know, I left it hanging again, well, I've gone over 3000 words, so I need to stop here and just continue on in the next chapter. :-)**


	17. Courageous is to Petrified

**Chapter 16: Courageous is to Petrified**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**Since it seems a lot of you wants to either kill Niou or hurt him is some way or another, I decided I needed to write this next Chapter ASAP…hehehe. By the way, some of the scenes in this chapter were lifted or based from the manga and not the anime, so don't be surprised that some of the scenes here seem unfamiliar (at least to those who only watched the anime and never read the manga).**

**-oOo-**

How difficult is it to admit your weakness? And how much courage does is it really take before you can say that you need help. There are many people who act brave and fearless, when truly deep within, they are like little children snuggled in a corner frightened of the thunder roaring on a stormy night.

"You can come out now." Yukimura gently called out after Sanada and Yanagi had left.

"How long have you known I was here?" the silverette asked as he slowly came out in the open.

"Since a while ago; I never said anything because I know you were hiding from the other two." Yukimura replied with a smile.

"I guess you're still one person that my tricks won't work on." Niou scratches his head and settles beside the bluenette on a rooftop bench.

"I figured you wouldn't go to Minori-niisan's tanjoubi celebration." Yukimura went straight to the point.

"Hontou? And how would you say that?" Niou glanced over at the bluenette peacefully staring afar.

"I know you have issues with family." Was the plain and straight answer.

"I know she's probably going to hate me for this." Niou sighed in exasperation.

"Probably. But if you tell her the truth, I'm sure Mayumi will understand." Yukimura smiled at his teammate.

"Probably."

"I just got off the phone with Mayumi before Genechiro and Renji came, Yagyuu is there right now." Yukimura declared; causing Niou's eye's to widen.

"Nani?" Niou's response was short but filled with jealousy.

"You didn't come and Mayumi was disappointed, apparently, she caught up with Yagyuu at the bus stop and decided to invite him instead." Yukimura frankly answered his face full of serious business.

"That sly—."

"Yagyuu, as we both know, is not a sly person." Yukimura defended.

Niou, who had a lot of things running in his head at that moment, could not respond.

"Yagyuu, being the gentleman that he is, probably saw the disappointment and desperation in Mayumi's eyes, that's why he couldn't refuse the invitation. And whose fault was that?" Yukimura darted at Niou with his purple sharp orbs.

"Mine." Niou admitted in defeat.

"Just make it up to her." Yukimura patted the trickster before leaving for his room.

"Ne, Yukimura."

"Hmn?"

"You prefer Yagyuu over me for your cousin right?" Niou questioned the demigod without looking at his direction.

"Does it matter who I prefer? Isn't Mayumi's choice that really matters?" Yukimura replied.

"I think even Sanada would have preferred Yagyuu to be Suzuki's boyfriend over me."

"Can this be true?" Yukimura stepped back towards Niou, "The trickster is insecure of the gentleman? Daijabou desu ka Niou?" Yukimura half teased.

"Ne, Yukimura—."

"Nani?"

"Never mind." Niou stands up and walks towards the exit.

Yukimura stops the silverette by the shoulder, "Niou, she chose you because she loves you. Try and remember that."

Niou smirks at his buchou before proceeding to leave.

-oOo-

"So, is this the boyfriend you wanted Otou-san and Okaa-san to meet?"

Yagyuu couldn't hold the tea in his mouth and accidentally splattered the freshly cut grass in Mayumi's backyard, "Gomennasai." He mutters as he wipes his face.

"Daijabou desu ka Yagyuu-kun?" Mayumi handed him a napkin.

"Hai, daijabou desu." Yagyuu still trying to recover from the tea he just splattered all over, some of which went up his nose.

"Onii-chan, iie, Yagyuu-kun is just a friend." Mayumi complained to his brother.

"Oh, gomen ne Yagyuu-kun. Ma-chan said she's introduce her boyfriend to me on my tanjoubi, so since you're the one she brought with her, I assumed it was you." Minori explained.

"Daijabou, demo, I'm just a friend. Ano, Suzuki-kun's boyfriend is actually my best friend." Yagyuu explained.

"Oh, best friend huh? So what kind of guy is this Niou?" Minori interrogated Yagyuu.

"Onii-chan, stop interrogating Yagyuu-kun!" Mayumi grumbled.

"Nande? I just wanted to know about this guy who swept my Imouto's feet off the ground. Besides, he hasn't met Otousan and Okaasan either." Minori justified his actions.

"He's a really great guy. You should watch him play tennis, he's really good." Yagyuu defended Niou.

"And how is he as a person?" Minori faced Yagyuu.

"Niou is a complicated person, and people might misunderstand him, demo, Niou is a really kind person, and I know that he loves your Imouto very much Suzuki-san." Yagyuu firmly protected his friend.

"Yagyuu-kun." Mayumi stared at Yagyuu; she has never seen Yagyuu so serious.

"Sa, eto, if a guy like you says so, then I guess he is. Plus you did say he was your best friend ne Yagyuu-kun? So, a guy like you wouldn't be friends with a jerk now would you? Sa, then I guess I'll have to wait to meet this Niou some other time. Ja ne, I need to talk to the other visitors." Minori patted Yagyuu's shoulder before going off to talk to his friends.

"Gomennasai Yagyuu-kun, for what my Nii-san said." Mayumi bowed.

"Iie, daijabou." Yagyuu sighed, "Suzuki-kun, Niou-kun truly loves you. I'm sure he has a very good reason why he didn't come over to meet your family today."

"He has a headache doesn't he? I guess he really couldn't come over." Mayumi had settled that Niou's excuse was indeed valid.

"Hai. Sa, it's getting late, I better be leaving soon, I wouldn't want my family to get worried about me." Yagyuu excused himself.

"I'll walk you to the door Yagyuu-kun."

How difficult is it, truly, to choose between two people that you loved. Between a friend and your beloved. How far can you be willing to go, to suppress all the hurt you felt, to make someone else happy? And how long can you truly be happy for someone else, who you see not being truly happy at all. When either side of the coin hurts you, which do you choose?

-oOo-

"It's not like you to break a promise." Sanada muttered proudly, "Winning the Nationals three years in a row…even without you, we're still a championship caliber team."

"Genechiro, we've got trouble!" Yanagi barged in at the best friends who were talking on the hospital rooftop, "The tennis club where Akaya frequently visits, we've just received a call from them, apparently Akaya's having a duel with some kid from Seigaku."

"Smells good." Marui sniffing the cake that they brought Yukimura as a present. "You think it's okay if I eat some?" he asked their kindhearted buchou.

"I don't think it'll be any trouble." Yukimura smiled at his red-haired teammate.

"Marui! We're leaving!" Sanada shouted at the sweets addict serve-and-volley player.

"Sanada—Sorry to have caused you so much trouble." Yukimura gently apologized.

Sanada merely nodded and lead the rest of the team out.

_Akaya, you just never learn do you?_ Yukimura asked in his head and sighs thinking how Sanada would probably slap Akaya silly for what he had done.

"Niou-kun." Yagyuu called out to his doubles partner as they were running towards the tennis club.

"Later Yagyuu, we'll talk later." Niou brushes him off.

"What is that baka thinking, doing this now, its right before the finals." Sanada grumbled as they were closing the tennis club.

The team froze in shock seeing Akaya's bloodshot eyes. With a Seigaku tennis club member walking out of the court. Sanada walks into the court and just as the tall fukubouchou was in front of the Seigaku ichnen he collapsed.

Sanada's eyes widened, "Akaya! What are you doing at a time like this? And who's this Seigaku kid?"

"Poor guy, hurry up and take him to the hospital." Yagyuu worriedly commented.

"Yagyuu, look more closely." Niou pointing out to the gentleman that the ichnen kid was actually sleeping.

"Oi! Wake up!" Marui shook the Seigaku player to no avail.

Sanada passes the sleeping kid to Yanagi and the rest and proceeds to walk towards Akaya.

Just then Jackal comes running, "Sanada! Gomen."

Sanada's eyes widened even more and slaps Jackal, "Jackal, you were with him the whole time, why didn't you intervene?" then walks towards the junior ace, "Akaya!"

"Should we stop him?" Yagyuu asked his teammates.

"Iie, this is one punishment Akaya must face on his own." Yanagi stopped Yagyuu and Niou who were about to run after their fukubuchou.

No response from the usually smart mouthed junior.

"Akaya!" Sanada shouts as he faces his kohai.

"I—I lost." Akaya admitted

Sanada then slaps Akaya and the rest of the team walks towards them.

"Kirihara-kun, I want you to reflect over what you've done." Yagyuu firmly eyes his kohai.

"The most important thing for us is to win a third straight National title, demo—." Marui continued.

"Losing is not acceptable." Yanagi finished Marui's sentence.

"Puri." Niou added.

"You must not lose. That is our rule." Sanada finished off.

-oOo-

Rikkaidai Fuzoku Boys Tennis Club is good. So good that they don't even get nervous before a match, so good that they are so focused and prepared all they think about is tennis. But sometimes, it's good to think about other things, say, love for example.

"How long do you plan on hiding up here?" Yagyuu asked the silverette who was sitting in a corner in the school rooftop.

"Aren't you going to be late for afternoon practice?" Niou snaps back at him.

"After the debacle with Akaya the other day, I'd thought you'd be a bit more focus about the coming Kantou Finals. That kid beat Akaya, so he must really be good." Yagyuu tried to persuade his best friend.

"Are you really here to talk me into focusing on tennis or something else?" Niou stood from where he was sitting and faced the gentleman with sharp eyes.

"You know that you can't stare me down Niou-kun, I'm used to you sharp gazes. Besides, compared to Sanada's, well, it just doesn't compare." Yagyuu joked.

"Leave me alone Yagyuu." Niou turns his back and walks farther from the bespectacled boy.

"Have you apologized to Suzuki-kun about ditching the 'meet the family' date you were suppose to have?" Yagyuu cleared his throat.

"You tell me, did you enjoy meeting the family?" Niou retorts.

"I only came as a friend."

"I bet you did." Niou sarcastically replied.

"If you didn't want me to meet her family, then you should have come." Yagyuu reasoned out.

"Why did you go? Are you still interested in Suzuki?" Niou faced his doubles partner.

"I never lost interest." Yagyuu stared at the trickster.

"So, are you trying to take her from me?" Niou steps closer to the taller boy.

"I have no intention in interfering with your relationship. I accepted the invitation because her eyes pleaded me to come. If you came, she wouldn't have had that look in her eyes." Yagyuu firmly stated.

"I told you to go with the cover story." Niou argued.

"And I did. I never told her anything about you chickening out in meeting her family." Yagyuu insisted.

"I did not chicken out!"

"Then what do you call it then? Huh, Niou-kun." Yagyuu's brows twitched, he could feel his blood boiling inside him, but he had to keep his composure, after all he was the gentleman, wasn't he?

"You've met my family."

"Hai, I have, and I know you don't see your family to be perfect and you feel that it's very complicated. Demo, Niou-kun, like what I've told you before, whatever dark or lonely past you had with your family, it doesn't mean you'd do the same for your future family." Yagyuu replied, his voice gentling down.

"Well, I can't meet Suzuki's family now." Niou argued, his shoulders dropping.

"Nande?"

"Well, after they've met you, what do you think they'll say when they see me?" Niou pointed at Yagyuu then back at himself.

"Nani?"

"Come on Yagyuu!" Niou frustratedly scratched his head.

"I don't see any difference." Yagyuu told the shorter boy.

"Yagyuu, you need new glasses." Niou's eyes narrowed at his best friend.

"I see a guy who loves tennis and is very dedicated. I see a smart guy, who makes use of his genius some other way than I do, say trickery for example. I see this independent and outgoing fellow who has helped me to crack out of my own shell." Yagyuu patted his partner's shoulder.

Niou smirks at what his friend had said.

"Most importantly, I see the man that I lost to, in love." Yagyuu felt a pinch in his chest.

"Yagyuu—."

"So, go make her happy. You beat me, so ganbatte ne, Niou-kun?" Yagyuu smiled and adjusted his glasses. "Sa, we'll be late for practice, remember Sanada said we'll be playing Doubles one in the finals."

Niou stares at the back of the ginger head as he walked away from him and pulls out his phone from his pocket to dial his girl friend's number, "Moshi moshi, Suzuki, Gomen—."

-oOo-

It was finally the day when fire meets water, when the king of the court meets a blooming prince. It was finally the Kantou Finals.

"Niou-kun, ganbatte." Mayumi smiled as he fixed his boyfriend's jersey.

"Rikkai Dai will surely win." Niou smirks.

"I'm sure you will. After your game, I'll be leaving for the hospital." Mayumi smiled at the silverette.

"Hai, we'll follow soon after, tell Yukimura, the team will be there to give him the championship medal." Niou held Mayumi's hands tightly.

"I will." Mayumi nodded.

"Ma-chan, tell Yukimura not to worry, and just concentrate on his surgery, iiyo?" Sanada nodded at his childhood friend.

"Hai, ganbatte Gen-kun!" Mayumi cheerfully threw her fist in the air.

"Time to let everyone see my genius." Marui commented as they prepare to line up in the court.

"Like I'd let you outshine me Marui-senpai." Akaya commented glaring at the Seigaku freshman.

"Relax Akaya, focus." Jackal reminded his kohai.

"Just do your best and remember our strategy for this game." Yanagi reminded his teammates.

"Hai." Yagyuu adjusted his glasses.

"Yagyuu-kun." Mayumi called.

Everyone of course looked towards the girl, most of them wondering in their heads why Mayumi would call Yagyuu in such a manner, especially when Niou was right there standing in front of them.

"Ganbatte! Onii-chan also sends his regards." Mayumi smiled at Yagyuu causing the boy to blush a bit.

"Onii-chan also sends his regards, what does that mean?" Marui whispered to Jackal.

"Maybe Yagyuu knows Suzuki-kun's Niisan." Jackal replied.

Sanada's brows furrowed, somehow, even he knew something was definitely wrong with that picture.

"Niou-kun, Onii-chan said, he'll meet you soon, after Seiichi-kun's surgery maybe?" Mayumi whispered at Niou's ears making the very jealous boy smile.

"Hai, after Yukimura's surgery." Niou replied and gave the girl a peck on her cheek.

This of course made the rest of the team blush, yes, even Sanada tinted pink a little.

"Ahum." Yagyuu cleared his throat, feeling a knife stabbing his heart at that moment, "I believe it's time to line up now."

"Let's go minna." Sanada called out.

"Yeah!" the team collaboratively shouted and followed their fukubuchou to the court.

**-oOo-**

**Next chapter is a bit if Rikkai vs Seigaku, Yukimura's surgery and more of Yagyuu-Mayumi-Niou of course. =)**


	18. Focused is to Confused

**Chapter 17: Focused is to Confused**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**Again, some parts where based on the manga, so for those who only watched the anime and never read the manga, sorry about those parts. And some parts were a mixture of the manga plot and the anime plot so please don't be confused.**

**-oOo-**

Even without a word spoken, it was obvious, the atmosphere was tense; no one needed to explain what had just happened. Because in reality, it did truly happen, the fukubuchou from Seigaku did just tell Sanada that they came to win. An outright challenge had just been given to the Emperor. Each of the Rikkai regulars facial muscles were twitching like crazy, a mixed emotion of wanting to laugh, gasp and almost every imaginable reaction was running through their minds at this moment. He dared to say that to Sanada. Sanada of all people, if it were Yukimura, maybe they wouldn't fear so much of that fellow Oishi's life, certainly their Yukimura-buchou was more subtle in his sadisms, but Sanada, well, Sanada is just cruel, in and out of the tennis court. Figuratively speaking.

"Hmn." Was all the Emperor could react to the flat out challenge that was given to him.

"They seem to be confident." Marui commented.

"I'll still say the same, without Tezuka around, they're not as strong." Akaya smugly declared.

"But they do have that kid." Yanagi reminded their junior ace, making all the regular glance at Echizen.

"Oi, Echizen, they're staring at you, did you do something to them?" Momoshiro whispered to his kohai.

"Betsuni." Echizen replied like the match between him and Akaya never happened.

"E? Look at those two players from Rikkai!" Eiji pointed as Marui who was munching on a piece of cake and Jackal who was shaving his head.

"What are they doing? Aren't those the players for Doubles 2?" Momoshiro reacted.

"Marui Bunta, it seems he eats sweets before each game to boost his endurance; and Jackal Kuwahara, I believe he shaved his head as a remembrance to his former coach in Brazil." Inui enumerated while adjusting his glasses.

"Sou dane." Fuji replied.

"So, it's like some kind of habit or good luck charm or something like that." Momoshiro reacted.

"Oi! Those Seigaku people are staring at you two, would you stop it already?" Yagyuu (who was pretending to be Niou) commented to Marui and Jackal.

"Niou-kun, you know Marui-kun needs to finish up that whole cake to sustain him for the whole game." Niou (who was pretending to be Yagyuu) reprimanded his doubles partner.

"Whatever. Pig!" Yagyuu (who was pretending to be Niou) teased Marui.

Marui glared at Yagyuu, who he thought was Niou; he was dressed as Niou after all.

"Ittai!" Yagyuu reacted as he felt a hand slap his nape.

"Niou-kun, yamero! Don't tease Marui-kun right before a match." Mayumi scolded Yagyuu, who she thought was her boyfriend.

Yagyuu stared at the girl through his emerald colored contact lenses questioning in his mind why Mayumi slapped his nape instead of Niou, completely forgetting that he was dressed as Niou.

Niou, who was relieved he wasn't himself at that moment because the slap sure looked like it hurt, was also feeling a little jealous about the staring contest Mayumi and Yagyuu were having at that moment. "Ahum. Niou-kun, eye forward to the game please."

Yagyuu turned his eyes to Niou and realized that maybe he should just imitate Niou when they get to the court, and just shut his mouth and not imitate Niou while they were in the bench. Because it definitely hurts to be Niou right now, given that he seemed to have lost all sensation in his nape from the slap that Mayumi had just given him. _Is this how it feels to be Niou as Suzuki-kun's boyfriend, I never expected her to hit so hard since she looked so feminine, well, maybe it's true that looks can sometimes be deceiving._ He made a mental note to himself.

Rikkai Dai Fuzoku Men's Tennis Club had strong players, both regulars and non-regulars; they were all National level players. They were a proud squad, they find defeat an unforgivable sin, and with Akaya's recent defeat against Echizen, they were all edgy to take revenge on Seigaku and redeem their prides, especially Akaya. Because of this Marui and Jackal, being forced to take off their wrist weight against Momoshiro and Kaidoh was not a very happy sight to see, especially for Sanada.

"Ma, ma, Genechiro, a win is still a win." Yanagi calmed his close friend who was glaring at Marui and Jackal who were still panting from exhaustion.

"Demo, Yanagi-senpai, it's still difficult to accept that Marui-senpai and Jackal-senpai removed their wrist weights." Akaya who despite parading a proud face was inwardly having second thoughts on just how strong their opponent was.

"Minna, remove your wrist weight." Sanada instructed the rest of the team, like it was nothing.

"Demo, Sanada-fukubu—removing my wrist weight now." Akaya who was about to object stepped back a little and began removing his wrist weights as Sanada glared at him.

"Oi Niou! I told you to remove those wrist weights." Sanada reprimanded Yagyuu (who was dressed as Niou).

"Ma, ma, Sanada, I'll take them off when I feel the need too." Yagyuu, who was doing an impressive impression of his doubles partner replied to the glaring fukubuchou and went ahead and walked to the court.

"Something's wrong with Niou." Marui commented as he watched the 'trickster' walk to the court.

"Ne, Yagyuu-senpai, what's up with Niou-senpai?" Akaya asked Niou (who was dressed as Yagyuu).

"Kirihara-kun, Niou-kun is just concentrating on the game, of course he doesn't want to look bad, especially when Suzuki-kun is watching." Niou replied to his kohai's question.

"Ma, just watch them play." Yanagi pacified his teammate, he of course, being the strategist that he was, was fully aware of what the two was trying to pull out. _Sa, let's see just how good this plan of yours will work, Niou-kun, Yagyuu-kun._

Niou was a genius in the court, he was a wreck outside, but he was a genius in the court, no one can argue about that. Even the person whom Niou had gravely pranked and caused some sort of misfortune would never argue about his genius in the court. Yagyuu was genius outside the court, which would explain why he was a genius inside the court as well; after all, who would shift from one sport to another in just a term and fully master the game at will, even creating his own signature shot and maybe even integrating the former sport in his present sport. But he was Yagyuu Hiroshi, the gentleman, no one expected less. But then again, today Niou was Yagyuu, and Yagyuu was Niou; and it seems Yagyuu has embraced the Niou in him a bit too much. Because today the gentleman, in Niou's cosplay, had just knocked somebody's daylight out of them.

"E, Niou-senpai knocked out that acrobatic player from Seigaku!" someone in the crowd of Rikkai non-regulars was whispering about the sudden events.

"I knew Niou was devious, but I never thought he'd do something like such." A bunch of senior non-regulars whispered amongst themselves as well.

Yagyuu who was pretending to be Niou, and who actually knocked out Kikumaru from Seigaku for a few minutes with the ball that he hit a few moments ago was sitting quietly on the bench, waiting for the referee's decision if the game was to continue or if Seigaku was to forfeit Doubles 1. _If he doesn't wake up the people from Seigaku would probably hate Niou-kun because of what I did, demo, if they forfeit, then we're one win away from winning the Kantou Finals._ He was having an internal debate, and somehow, the real Niou could read his mind.

"Don't think too much about it Niou-kun, you didn't mean to hit him and knock him out." Niou comforted Yagyuu, fully aware that the blame and hatred would befall him. After all, Yagyuu was pretending to be him, and if it were him, he would have probably done the same. Frankly, he didn't care what people thought about him. But somehow, there was something stuck in his throat, he felt fear in his heart, maybe it was because Mayumi was watching. _What could be running in her mind right now?_ He asked himself repeatedly.

Mayumi sat silently in the bleachers, staring at the back of who she thought was Niou, speechless and tears brimming in her eyes. _Niou-kun is scary when he plays tennis. He isn't scary during practice, why does he seem scary today?_

"Don't think too much about it, it was unintentional, sometimes it does happen in tennis, nothing to worry over or be nervous or scared about." Sanada spoke up, and everyone who heard was uncertain who Sanada was trying to assure at that moment. He was looking blankly at the empty court, and because Niou (who was actually Yagyuu) seemed to be quietly sitting there, and Yagyuu (who was actually Niou) seem to be doing the same; none of them remembering the wallflower who was currently fearful of her own boyfriend.

"The match will resume." The referee announced.

Niou stood up first and glanced back where Mayumi was seated, he felt a knife driving through his chest when he saw Mayumi staring at Yagyuu's back, but he couldn't do anything about it since it was his bright idea to cosplay as each other during this match. "Niou-kun." He called out to Yagyuu who was still spacing out.

"E?"

"He's woken up, the match will resume, let's go."

"Aa." Yagyuu followed Niou back to the court but not without glancing back at Mayumi, which probably was a wrong move, because the girl was still staring at him with fear stricken eyes. _Gomen Suzuki-kun, I didn't mean to hurt you this way, after we win, I'll explain everything to you, please don't hate Niou-kun because of what I did."_

"A-Ano, Yanagi-kun, could you please call Gen-kun over for a bit?" Mayumi shyly asked the data man while Marui, Jackal and Akaya were trying their best not to look over in fear that Sanada might slap them right there and then.

"Iiyo, Suzuki-kun." Yanagi then patted Sanada on the shoulder, and once he turned his head, pointed the Emperor to the girl behind him.

"Nande, Ma-chan?"

"Ano, Gen-kun, I'm going ahead to the hospital, I—I wanted to talk to Seichi a bit before the surgery. I'll be waiting for you guys in the hospital iiyo?" Mayumi timidly told the stern fukubuchou.

"Sou dane, be careful going there." Sanada knew what was going on in Mayumi's mind at that moment, and since he had to focus on the game, it would be better is Yukimura were the one to talk sense into her confused mind right now.

"Ano, Suzuki-senpai, you're leaving? Aren't you going to finish Niou-senpai's match?" Akaya asked the girl as she was turning away to leave.

"Gomen, Kirihara-kun." Mayumi replied then ran off to leave.

"She didn't have to apologize to me; a simple iie would have sufficed." Akaya told his senpai-tachi who all were trying to focus on the game.

"Just watch the game Akaya." Marui forcibly turned Akaya's head towards the court.

Sometimes, fear can make you irrational, it can make you do and say things that you eventually regret. Sometimes fear can steal away your happiness and hopes, sometimes fear can end a fairy tale that was only just beginning.

"So you left?" Yukimura deliberately asked his cousin who was tearfully sitting in front of him.

"What do you mean 'so I left'? Niou-kun was so scary, he hit the ball and it caused that poor Seigaku player to be knocked out a few minutes, the paramedics were seriously concerned and was about to take him to the hospital when he regained consciousness." Mayumi argued.

"Mayumi, have you ever considered, that in any sport, there is always the possibility that someone would get hurt, whether intentionally or by accident?" Yukimura asked seriously, not even a hint of a smile in his face.

"I—I just never saw Niou-kun as someone who could hurt another person that way." Mayumi bowed her head in frustration.

"Give him a chance to explain what happened. It's not healthy for you to be thinking of such things and creating a gap between you and Niou without clarifying things with him first." Yukimura advised, this time with a smile on his face.

"Demo—demo, Seichi—I'm now scared of Niou-kun." Mayumi could not believe her own words. Since the moment she first met Niou, he has done nothing but bullied her, play pranks on her, she feared what Niou would prank her with next, but never did she really feel scared of him, as a person.

Yukimura stared as his cousin for a while, before finally he smiled again and spoke up, "Niou, he's just complicated, but he's not scary. Niou, he's like a fierce guard dog, tough looking and barks loudly, but affectionate to his master."

Mayumi knew what her cousin was trying to say, she's heard Yagyuu spoke gently of Niou, frankly everyone was fond of Niou, she thinks they just pretend to get annoyed by Niou when in fact they all love Niou very much. But the picture in her mind right now, was the ball bouncing on the acrobatics face and the poor guy dropping unconscious to the ground.

"Stop relieving the accident in your mind Mayumi." Yukimura told her as if reading her mind.

"I wish I could."

Irrational. Sometimes, even the brightest minds can be irrational. But what is more complex and mysterious is how and irrational mind could be so broad and understanding. They say each one has their moment in the spotlight, then all the music fade out, and the curtains fall, and the show is over.

"Sugoi! I was surprised when Yagyuu-senpai's Laser Beam was a little slower than usual, demo; I was even more surprised that Niou-senpai hit the Laser Beam in full accuracy." Akaya was bothering his senpai-tachi after Niou and Yagyuu had won Doubles 1 and their great mimic cosplay had been revealed.

"How long had she been gone?" Niou asked no one in particular.

"A few seconds after the match resumed. You were both focused on the match we didn't bother to tell you." Yanagi replied for the group.

"I'll explain everything to her Niou-kun; I'll make sure she doesn't hate you for what I did." Yagyuu assured his best friend.

"Iie, if there was someone who needs to explain anything to her, it should be me." Niou insisted.

"Oh, now you decide to man up." Marui teased the trickster.

"Marui, not now." Jackal shushed the volley-specialist, feeling that Niou, despite winning the match, was not particularly happy about what happened.

"Well, it's my turn then." Akaya grabbed his racket and began to stretch.

"Akaya! Stop being over confident, he's not called a tensai for nothing." Sanada warned his kohai as they all looked over to the Seigaku side of the court where Fuji was standing with a scary expression on his face.

"I'll crush him." Akaya declared determination glistening in his eyes.

Sometimes, determination is not enough to get through things the way you want to. Sometimes, victory, no matter how much you want it, just isn't yours. And sometimes, it's better than way, because you learn something.

"Aa, iiyo, so you're on your way here now? Iiyo, I'll tell him. Bye-bye."

"Was that Sanada?"

"Hai. Ano Seichi—."

"They lost." Yukimura finished her sentence for her with a smile.

"How come you're smiling?" Mayumi asked confused at her cousin's reactions.

"Because right now, I need to focus on my surgery. We still qualify for the Nationals even if we lost at the Kantou finals, so, we'll still win the Nationals." Yukimura optimistically assured his cousin.

"I'm jealous of you."

"E?" Yukimura's smile disappeared.

"I'm jealous of you Seichi, you see things so differently, and even in your weakest moments you still have the courage to stand strong and face the storm head on. While I—I'm every afraid to face Niou-kun." Mayumi was about to cry when she felt her cousins warm arms embracing her.

"Daijabou Mayumi." Yukimura comforted his cousin.

When you care about someone, you wish all the unhappiness and pain in the world would leave them alone. Like sticking out your own life just to save that person's life, an extent of even taking a bullet for that person, but no matter how much you want to protect that person, time will come, you just can't do everything.

"So this is where you've been." Yagyuu stated as he gently walked over to the girl sitting on a corner of a nearby temple.

"Yagyuu-kun."

"Everyone's been looking for you back at the hospital. The surgery is over and Yukimura-kun has been taken to the post-anesthesia unit." Yagyuu explained as he edged closer.

"I've been praying." Mayumi replied.

"Sou dane." Yagyuu tossed some coins in the offering box, and prayed quietly.

"Why are you here Yagyuu-kun?" She asked the boy after he had opened his eyes.

"We couldn't find you in the hospital, so we decided to look for you in places where we thought you'd be. Niou-kun went back to school; he was thinking you could be there." Yagyuu explained.

"Why did you choose the temple?"

"I know how dear Yukimura-kun is to you, and after we found out about your twin sister, I figured, maybe you'd be here, asking Kami-sama not to take your beloved cousin from you." Yagyuu said with a small smile.

_Yagyuu-kun. He knows me so well, somehow, he understands me, even when I can't understand myself._ Mayumi walked beside Yagyuu back to the hospital.

"Suzuki-kun, can I talk to you about what happened in the court today?"

"E? Nande? A-Ano, Seichi already told me, sometimes accidents like that happened; it wasn't Niou-kun's fault that he accidently knocked the Seigaku player out." Mayumi forcibly hid her newly acquired fear of Niou.

"Niou-kun didn't, I did."

"E?"

"We were cosplaying as each other, we've been practicing our signature moves for a few weeks now and when we finally mastered each other's moves we decide that we could trick the other team by cosplaying each other." Yagyuu explained.

"E?"

"I was the one who hit Kikumaru-kun by accident, it was not Niou-kun, so please, don't hate Niou-kun for something that I did." Yagyuu bowed lowly in front of Mayumi.

_Yagyuu-kun doesn't want me to hate Niou-kun, here in the middle of the sidewalk, with people passing-by; he's not ashamed to bow to low, just so I won't hate Niou-kun. Demo, I don't hate Niou-kun, I'm afraid of him. But if that is so, should it be Yagyuu-kun that I should be afraid of?_ Mayumi stared at the boy bowed before her, a million thought running through her mind.

"Onegaishimasu."

Mayumi grabbed Yagyuu's shoulder and tried to straighten him, "Daijabou Yagyuu-kun." She smiled at the boy.

"Arigato." Yagyuu adjusted his glasses and they continued to walk back to the hospital.

Thoughts run through once brain once in a while, sometimes, thinking leads to the answer, sometimes, it leads to confusion, but no matter which way, thinking, it actually helps.

"Suzuki!" Niou rushed to the girl walking beside Yagyuu as they were nearing the waiting area for the post-anesthesia unit.

"Niou-kun." Mayumi was lost in Niou's embrace, somehow, she felt like he was really worried about her.

"Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you." Niou whispered not letting go of her, instead tightening his embrace.

"I was praying for Seichi." Was her soft response running her finger through Niou's silver hair, she loved Niou, this was something new to her, seeing Niou so worked up about her, usually Niou would run away, but today he was holding her tightly.

"Next time take me with you, iiyo?"

_Niou-kun was worried about me._ Mayumi embraced Niou back.

"Let's give them some time alone to talk." Yagyuu led the others away leaving Niou and Mayumi alone.

Mayumi embraced Niou tightly, but her eyes followed Yagyuu out of the room. _I'm particularly good at finding Niou-kun when he's missing, even at times I know he intentionally hides from me. But when I hide, or when I'm lost, why is it always Yagyuu-kun who finds me?_

**-oOo-**

**Well, again, I've gone over 3thousand words, so I'm going to have to leave you hanging here for a bit.**

**So next chappy why don't we zoom zoom a bit and let our dear Seichi back in the picture huh? What do you think? Let's have him recover zoom zoom from his surgery, but let's not get to the finals just yet.**


	19. Relieved is to Bothered

**Chapter 18: Relieved is to Bothered**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**So this is zoom zoom to Yukimura's recovery**

**-oOo-**

"Ohayou!" A very hyperactive Mayumi greeted the bluenette at their doorsteps.

"E?"

"Nani? You're not dressed yet? You'll be late for morning practice." Mayumi pushed her cousin into the house and up the stairs.

"E? Demo, I don't have medical clearance to return to tennis yet." Yukimura reasoned out while trying to resist his cousin's pushing.

"Oh, Mayumi-neechan in here." Takara excitedly ran out of her bedroom after hearing their cousin's voice.

"Ohayou Taka-chan! I'm here to make sure your niichan gets ready for school properly." Mayumi smiled at the younger Yukimura.

"Did, I hear Mayumi was here?" Yukimura's mother peeked through the kitchen door.

"Ohayou, Oba-chan!" Mayumi replied just as she successfully pushed her cousin into his room.

"Have you had breakfast Ma-chan?" Yukimura's father asked as he was exiting their bedroom.

"Hai, ohayou Oji-chan!" Mayumi happily greeted her uncle.

"Mayumi—." Yukimura was about to complain when Mayumi cut him off.

"Iie. Get dress, we're going to school together." Mayumi crossed her arms and eyed the demigod.

Yukimura shook his head and close his door to get dress for school.

Takara chuckled a bit seeing how helpless his brother was against their cousin, "I really love it when you push Niichan around like that Mayumi-neechan."

"I don't think a girl has been born who can push around Seiichi the way Ma-chan does." Yukimura's father joked as he, Takara and Mayumi were heading to the stairs.

"I can hear you through the closed door you know!" Yukimura shouted from inside his room.

"Hai, hai, just get dressed already." Mayumi replied while the rest of the Yukimura family were chuckling.

"Sa, you eat breakfast again, iiyo, Mayumi." Yukimura's mother told the girl.

"How can I refuse Oba-chan's cooking?" Mayumi replied with a smile.

"How is your Okaa-san?" Yukimura's father asked about his sister.

"Ah, Okaa-chan is doing well, I think she'll be returning to work next week, Otou-san was asking if you we're playing tennis this weekend, Oji-chan?" Mayumi gladly conversed.

"Ah, hai, tell him we meet at the usual place."

"I'm dressed, let's go." Yukimura appeared at the kitchen door.

"Iie, you're not leaving without having breakfast." Yukimura's mother gave him a sharp gaze.

"Hai." The Rikkai buchou helplessly walked over to the table.

"Eat up Seiichi; I'm sure a lot of people will be happy to see you back today." Mayumi smiled at her cousin.

"Demo, I'm not going to tennis practice, I don't have medical clearance yet." Yukimura lazily took a bite off his bread.

"Demo, Niichan, I'm sure even if you can't play, they'd still be happy to see you back, Especially Sanada-niisan." Takara commented.

"You really had to bring up Sanada huh, Takara?" Yukimura teased his sister.

"Yamero Seiichi, look, Takara is blushing." Mayumi teased along.

"Mou! Kaa-san, Otou-san." Takara threw a tantrum from her brother and cousin's teasing.

"Ma, ma, eat your breakfast already." Yukimura's mother stopped the three cousins from fighting.

"Besides, I'm sure everyone will be happy to see Seiichi back, including Sanada-kun." Yukimura's father added.

Yukimura and Mayumi glanced at each other with a sly smile; they both knew Takara had this sort of obsession with Sanada since they were young.

-oOo-

"Ah!" Akaya screamed and pointed at something making the Rikkai regulars look towards where the junior ace was pointing.

"Yukimura!" Marui excitedly exclaimed

"Ah! He's back." Jackal followed the two who ran on ahead to welcome their buchou back.

"Yukimura-kun, welcome back." Yagyuu greeted.

"Seiichi, happy to see you back here." Yanagi patted his friend on the shoulder.

Niou nodded at his buchou, he was happy to see Yukimura back, but right now, he was happier to see the smiling girl standing a few steps behind the bluenette.

"Yukimura, what are you doing here? You don't have medical clearance yet." Sanada asked surprised that his best friend appeared in the tennis courts that morning.

"Are, am I now allowed to see my team anymore?" Yukimura asked the emperor kiddingly.

"Of course that's not what I mean." Sanada began to explain defensively.

"Ma, ma, we all missed you Seiichi; we hope you get medical clearance soon." Yanagi interrupted the staggering Sanada.

"Daijabou Sanada, I just wanted to see you guys, sa, I'll be going to the classroom now." Yukimura waved at everyone and headed off.

"Hope you get medical clearance soon Buchou!" Kirihara shouted as he waved at his buchou's back.

"Akaya, quit screaming get back to hitting, or do you want to do laps early in the morning?" Sanada eyed the junior. This of course made the rest of the team chuckle, because an embarrassed Sanada was just so funny for them.

"Hai."

Mayumi smiled beautifully at Niou before waving and at the silverette and following after her cousin to go to their classroom.

"Niou-kun, are you done grinning?" Yagyuu teased his doubles partner who was glowing at the sight of the purple head.

"Sa, people who are in love." Marui teased along.

"Shut up!" Niou began to blush and turned back to the court.

"Sa, thought I'd never see the day I see Niou blush that way." Yanagi smirked making a mental note of what had just happened.

"Quit slacking off!" Sanada commanded the group.

-oOo-

"So please remember you need to finish those papers and hand them in by the closing ceremonies before summer break, that will be all." The sensei announced before leaving the classroom.

"Hai." The students replied in unison.

"Ma-yu-mi." Yukimura called to his cousin who was fixing her bag.

"Hai?" Mayumi replied without lifting her head.

"What do want for your tanjoubi?" Yukimura asked with a smile.

"E?"

"Present, what do you want for your tanjoubi?" Yukimura repeated.

"E? You don't need to get me anything Seiichi-kun." Mayumi replied and zipped her bag.

"Oh, I'm not getting you anything, it's just in case Niou asks me." Yukimura replied with a naughty smile.

Mayumi frowned, "And here I was thinking how sweet my cousin was."

"Ma, ma, wipe that frown off you kawaii face, Ma-chan. Of course I'll get you something, but that's a surprise." Yukimura playfully replied poking Mayumi's nose.

"If I didn't know you were her cousin, and you weren't my buchou, I'd punch you so hard right now for flirting with my girl." Niou declared as he stood at their classroom door.

Yukimura straightened himself up, turned to face the trickster. "Niou-kun. Do you want to run extra laps in today's practice?"

"You don't have medical clearance yet." Niou replied with a smirk.

"Sou dane, but I can always ask Sanada to have you do it for me." Yukimura replied threateningly.

"Seiichi." Mayumi reprimanding her cousin.

"You don't mind if I go home with your girlfriend today don't you Niou-kun, after all you have tennis practice. Or do you want her to wait for you in the library instead?" Yukimura provoked the silverette.

"Daijabou, I'm just here to make sure she's alright." Niou walked pass his buchou straight to Mayumi.

"Niou-kun stop messing with Seiichi." Mayumi told his boyfriend.

"I'm just kidding. You two take care going home iiyo?" Niou caressed the girl's cheeks.

"Daijabou Niou-kun, you be careful in practice iiyo?" Mayumi patted Niou's arms and smiled.

"I have a surprise for you on your tanjoubi." Niou whispered in the girl's ear.

Mayumi smiled and whisper back, "Then, I can't wait 'til my tanjoubi comes."

"No whispering please." Yukimura teased.

"Shut up!" Niou replied playfully.

"Extra laps?" Yukimura teased again.

"Sa, let's go home Seiichi." Mayumi pulled on his cousin's sleeves and dragged him out of the classroom.

"Ja ne, N-i-o-u-kun." Yukimura waved at the trickster.

"Bye-bye Niou-kun." Mayumi turned her head smiling.

"Bye-bye." Niou replied and stood in the hallway watching the cousins walk away.

Yagyuu approached his doubles partner not noticing the bluenette and purple head walking, "Niou-kun, your still here, shall we go to practice now?" he asked.

Niou simply stood there smiling.

"Niou-kun, daijabou desu ka?" Yagyuu worriedly asked.

"Suzuki!" Niou shouted surprising the ginger head making him turn his head towards the direction where Niou was staring.

Mayumi turned her head; she and Yukimura were almost near the exit, "Hai?" she shouted back.

"Aishiteru!" Niou shouted.

Yagyuu froze; Niou's words echoed in his ears, he felt his heart stop for a split second. Despite the distance and his poor vision, Yagyuu could see the glow in Mayumi's face, he could see the smile on her lips; his heart could feel she was happy. And if she was happy, why did he feel sad.

Mayumi was blushing and smiling like an idiot with what Niou had just said. She never expected Niou to shout those words, and say it in front of Yukimura. She was about to shout back when Yukimura covered her mouth.

"Iie, try to remember this feeling, let it linger." Yukimura smiled then pulled his cousin away.

Niou continued to stare, even if the shadow of the girl and her cousin was long gone. In his heart Niou knew, he would probably make her cry again, and again. But he also knew that he would do everything he can, so that she won't ever cry.

"I'll go on ahead to practice then, Niou-kun." Yagyuu excused himself.

"Yagyuu." Niou called the bespectacled boy walking away from him.

"Hai?"

"Gomen ne. I know you still love her, demo, she's my girlfriend now, and I know I do stupid things sometimes, and I'm not really the perfect boyfriend, demo, I think I truly love her." Niou stated not moving from the spot where he was standing.

"You think?" Yagyuu asked.

"I'm not like you Yagyuu; I'm not as firm as you are. But I'll do everything I can, give anything, to make her happy." Niou continued.

"Sou dane." Yagyuu replied then continued to walk away with a heavy heart.

-oOo-

"Hai." Yukimura handed over a piece of paper to Mayumi who had been passing by his house every morning so they would go to school together.

"What's this?" Mayumi opened the neatly folded paper, to see the doctor's certificate clearing Yukimura to go back to tennis. "Maji? Sugoi, Seiichi, I'm so happy for you!" Mayumi hugged her cousin.

"Arigato." Yukimura hugged her back, "Now, stop coming over in the morning to pick me up for school." Yukimura lectured the girl.

"Nande? You don't want to see me anymore?" Mayumi pouted.

Yukimura chuckled before replying, "Of course not, demo, it would be nice if you and Niou came to school together in the morning as well."

Mayumi stopped walking and stared at his cousin.

"Nani?"

"Seiichi, can I ask you something?" Mayumi's face turned serious.

"Aa."

"Do you approve of Niou-kun, for me?" She asked with a serious tone.

"What's that? Why do you ask me that?" Yukimura replied with a nervous tone.

"Do you think; it would have turned out better if I chose Yagyuu-kun instead?" Mayumi asked again.

"Did something happen between you and Niou? Because I was there the other day when he screamed he loved you in the hallway." Yukimura reminded the girl.

"I chose Niou, because I love Niou."

"Then what's the problem?" Yukimura felt the uncertainty in his cousin's voice.

"We've been dating for so long, and yet, Niou-kun, he hasn't met my family yet. The last chance he had to meet them, he evaded it." Mayumi elaborated.

"By any chance are you doubting Niou?"

"I want to believe everything he says. I love Niou-kun so much I want to believe that every time I cry because of him it's because I misunderstood him, that he didn't hurt me on purpose. That it's just because we are still young and do not understand much about what love is. Demo, demo, I keep on asking myself—."

"Asking yourself what?"

"Each time I fall. Each time I'm hurt. Each time I'm lost. It seems it's always because of Niou-kun."

"And Yagyuu is always there to catch you, to find you." Yukimura verbalized the truth that his cousin could not verbalize.

Mayumi did not reply; she only stared at her cousin's eyes.

"By any chance, do you have any feelings for Yagyuu?"

"E?" Mayumi was surprised with the question, but more so, she was surprised that hearing Yukimura ask her that question made her heart beat so fast she felt like she was melting.

"Ma, don't even linger in the thought, gomen for asking, you did already say it was Niou who you loved right? How silly of me. Sa, let's go, I'll be late for morning practice if we don't hurry." Yukimura tried to change the topic.

"Aa." Mayumi walked a few steps behind the Rikkai buchou, asking herself why she couldn't answer her cousin's question with a straight response, and she felt guilty for that.

-oOo-

"Good work minna, that will be all for today." Yukimura dismissed afternoon practice.

"Welcome back buchou." Kirihara greeted with a smile before heading to the clubroom.

"It's good to be back." Yukimura replied.

"So, I was thinking, since we won't get to play doubles in the Nationals maybe we can collaborate to formulate new techniques to incorporate to our signature moves and use it to strengthen our singles matches." Niou was discussing with Yagyuu when then passed by Yukimura.

"Iiyo." Was the plain and straight response from the gentleman.

"Yagyuu, can I talk to you a minute?" Yukimura called out to the bespectacled boy.

"Hai." Yagyuu approached the bluenette.

"No need to wait for him Niou, go on ahead, Mayumi is waiting for you in the library." Yukimura shooed the silverette.

Niou stared at his buchou, then shifted his eyes to Yagyuu before turning around to change.

"What did Yagyuu do?" Marui asked as they all saw Yagyuu being pulled aside by their buchou.

"It's only Yukimura's first day back in the team and he's already called someone aside." Jackal added.

"I don't remember Yagyuu doing anything that would need for him to be called aside by Seiichi." Yanagi replied.

"Yagyuu-senpai is like the most behave member of the team, except for Jackal-senpai that is, why would Yukimura-buchou call him aside?" Kirihara wondered as well.

"Oi, what do you mean except for Jackal? And what about the rest of us?" Marui reacted.

"More importantly, by the look on Yukimura's face, it doesn't seem to have anything to do with tennis why he called Yagyuu aside." Yanagi added.

"Stop speculating and finish up changing, you all need to go home and get some rest, the Nationals are only a few days away. We're lucky that Yukimura was cleared in time for Nationals, so stop slacking off!" Sanada reprimanded the group.

Everyone changed as quickly as they could and Niou was not an exemption.

"Nande Yukimura-kun?" Yagyuu asked the serious faced buchou.

"Please stay away from Mayumi."

"E?"

"Yagyuu, I know that whatever it is that you do for Mayumi, it's simply a friendly gesture and support. Demo, I also know that despite stepping aside for Niou, you still have feelings for her right?"

"Hai."

"Niou and Mayumi's relationship is complicated as it already is. Niou has a complicated life, we all know that. And although his family if doing better now; we all know it was not the case when he was growing up, that's why Niou grew up to be the way he is. Frankly, I can't seem to read through Niou. I don't know if he truly loves Mayumi or if he's unsure of his feelings as well. But it is no place for me to interfere. I only want my cousin's happiness." Yukimura elaborated.

"I understand." Yagyuu replied then turned to walk away.

"Yagyuu."

"Hai?" he replied without turning to face the bluenette.

"Please watch her from a distance."

Yagyuu turned to face his buchou, confusion evident in his face.

"I know I told you to stay away from her, but I also can't tell you to forget everything that you feel for her. I can't stop you from loving Mayumi, so please, if you want to watch out for her, do it from a distance." Yukimura ended the discussion and walked on ahead of Yagyuu.

Yagyuu stood there on the empty court looking at the back of his buchou, what Yukimura said hurts, but Yagyuu knew, he was only watching out for his cousin. And truthfully, Yagyuu knew, that with him in the picture, things won't work out between Niou and Mayumi.

-oOo-

"Moshi, moshi?" Mayumi answered her ringing phone that Sunday morning.

"Otanjoubi omedetou Suzuki-kun." Niou greeted her with a very happy tone.

"Niou-kun. Arigato." Mayumi replied with a smile.

"Look out your window." Niou instructed the girl.

"E?" Mayumi looked out her window and to her surprise, she saw Niou standing at their gate holding a big bouquet of flower and huge paper bag smiling.

"Tanjoubi surprise." Niou said with a smile.

Mayumi could not believe her eyes, and began to tear up despite the smile on her lips, she quickly ran downstairs to open the gate for Niou.

"Otanjoubi odemetou, Suzuki-kun." Niou greeted once again as the girl opened the gate and handed over the bouquet of flowers.

"Arigato Niou-kun." Mayumi accepted the bouquet.

"Mayumi, who's at the gate?" Mayumi's mother asked as she peeked out the front door.

"Ano, okaa-chan." Mayumi was surprised by her mother suddenly going out of the house.

"Ohayou gozaimasu, Niou Masaharu desu, Hajimashite, douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu." Niou bowed.

Mayumi was surprised at what her boyfriend did, knowing Niou, he would have easily evaded the scene, she would have probably explained everything or made up an excuse for her mother, but it was the complete opposite of what she expected.

"Niou-kun? Ah, Niou-kun, come in." Mayumi's mother welcomed Niou into their home.

"E?" Mayumi was surprised that her mother welcomed Niou so easily.

"Otou-san we have a visitor." Her mother announced.

"E?" Mayumi ran after the two into their house.

"Niou-kun, please sit down, make yourself comfortable." Mayumi's mother entertained the visitor gladly.

"Arigato gozaimasu, ano, I brought cake." Niou handed over the huge paper bag he was holding.

"Oh, how nice, Mayumi, thank Niou-kun for the birthday cake." Her mother instructed.

"Arigato, Niou-kun." Mayumi shyly obeyed.

"Dou iteshimasite." Niou shyly smiled.

"Okaa-san, who's the visitor?" Mayumi's father walked out of his study.

"Ah, Otou-san, Mayumi's boyfriend is here." Mayumi's mother replied.

"E?" Mayumi reacted surprised, she had no idea how her parents found out because she hadn't said anything, and if there was anyone to blame, it was either her cousin or his Niisan.

"Are, did I hear that right? Niou-kun is here?" Minori rushed down the stairs after hearing all the noise.

"Hai, come, come. Ah Niou-kun, this is Otou-san and this is Mayumi's niisan Minori." Mayumi's mother made the introductions.

"Hajimashite, douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu." Niou bowed to both the father and the brother.

"Yoroshiku, Niou-kun." Mayumi's father replied.

"Yo!" Minori also replied.

Mayumi was flabbergasted with her family's reaction.

"Nani? You think we didn't know?" her mother asked after seeing the look on her face.

"E? How long have you known exactly?" Mayumi asked.

"Well, since you haven't said anything, and we were suspicious, so we asked around." Her father replied.

"Asked around where?" Mayumi asked very unhappy with her family's snooping.

"Hai, I shall go to the kitchen and help prepare lunch then." Minori declared.

"Niichan!" Mayumi was suspicious it was his brother who squealed.

"Nani?" Minori replied innocently.

"Ma, ma, enough of that, sa, Niou-kun why don't you, Minori and Otousan go out back and talk a little while Mayumi and I prepare lunch, ne?" her mother asked.

"Ah, hai." Niou replied, although admittedly the thought of being alone with the father and brother was not very comfortable with him.

"E? Okaachan." Mayumi protested as her mother dragged her into the kitchen.

"Ma, ma, don't worry your otou-san and niisan won't eat him alive." Her mother joked.

"E?" Mayumi became more nervous with what her mother has just said.

"So, Niou-kun, you're in the tennis team with Seiichi?" Mayumi's father asked.

"Hai." Niou replied.

"Minori and I play a little tennis as well, although we may not be as good as you, we should play some time." Mayumi's father continued.

"Ah, hai, anytime sir." Niou replied.

After random discussions and exchange of stories, it was finally time for Niou to leave.

"It was a pleasure to finally have met all of you minna-san." Niou bowed again.

"It was our pleasure Niou-kun." Mayumi's mother replied.

"Be careful going home." Mayumi's father added.

"See you around." Minori also bid the boy.

"Hai. Arigato gozaimashita." Niou bowed again.

"I'll see you to the gate." Mayumi told the boy as she led her out the door, while eyeing her family who were grinning at her.

"Bye-bye." Her mother waved.

"You have a lovely family, I wish I met them sooner." Niou stated as they were walking to the gate.

"Arigato for the surprise Niou-kun, I hope they didn't interrogate you too much."

"Sa, not really. I'll see you at school tomorrow. Tanjoubi omedetou." Niou greeted the girl before heading off.

"Bye-bye." Mayumi stared at his boyfriend who was walking away thinking, _Arigato Niou-kun, for proving your sincerity to me. Now I have the answer to the question bothering me._

When he was a distance away, out of Mayumi's view, Niou picked his cell phone from his pocket and dialled a number.

"Moshi-moshi."

"Yo, Yagyuu! Thanks for the tips on how to meet the family."

"Aa."

"They were exactly how you described them, maybe it wasn't so bad that you met them first, it really helped me ease up. You know I have family issues, so having known something about them ahead really helped." Niou continued.

"Sou dane. Ano, Niou-kun, gomen, I'm kind of busy right now." Yagyuu reasoned.

"Ah, gomen, I just wanted to thank you."

"I'm happy for you Niou-kun."

"Hai. Ja, I'll see you in practice tomorrow, bye-bye." Niou hang up the call and got on the bus.

Yagyuu who was sitting alone on a breakwater staring out into the ocean sighed, _I'll try and be happy for you Niou-kun, no matter how much it hurts for me to see you with her._

**-oOo-**

**So, there, Niou finally met the family, and Yukimura is back in time for the Nationals, demo, what happens to Yagyuu now?**


	20. Decided is to Uncertain

**Chapter 19: Decided is to Uncertain**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies.**

**-oOo-**

Yagyuu Hiroshi was very intelligent, he was a straight A student who is the pride and joy of his parents. His imouto adored him and worshiped the ground he walked on. He was talented and easily learned new skills that he was truly interested in, he did after all quickly shifted from golf to tennis in a matter of weeks. Yagyuu was a fierce friend, who will fight for his friends with his own life and reputation at stake, just think of the countless times he helped cover for Niou. He was also a considerate senpai and trusted colleague, he always had one of the longest tolerance for Akaya's stubbornness and childishness, but not compared to Yanagi's of course. Most importantly, Yagyuu Hiroshi was a gentleman. He was type of guy who would pull the chair for you at the dinner table, the type of guy who would hold out his hand for you and assist you while getting off the bus. He was the type of guy who would buy you dozens of flowers and chocolates, he was the type of guy who remembers your tanjoubi, anniversary and any other important date that there could possibly exists; Yagyuu was the type to call you in the morning to greet you and call you again at night before he went to bed. Yagyuu Hiroshi was the type of guy who won't forcibly kiss you or touch you until you have given him consent to do so. Yagyuu Hiroshi was the perfect boyfriend. Nevertheless, despite everything that Yagyuu was, right now, Yagyuu Hiroshi was living with a broken heart.

"_Please stay away from Mayumi."_

Yukimura's words echoed in Yagyuu's ears as he stood in the middle of a crowded stadium where the opening ceremonies for the National Tournament were being held. He could not hear what the host was saying because his mind was afloat. It was good thing that they did not have any game scheduled today, because if they had he was certain he would fail his team, because whether in doubles or a singles player, he was definitely going to lose.

"Yaaaaaagyuu." The trickster tried to catch his attention.

"Hmn?" was the response without turning his head.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Betsuni." He lied.

"You do know, when we're not cosplaying, you are a very bad liar, right?" Niou tells his partner.

"Daijabou Niou-kun, I'm not thinking about anything in particular, just a bit overwhelmed." Yagyuu reasoned out.

"Hmn, this is your first time at the National tournament as a regular, demo, you don't have anything to be worried about." Niou patted the gentleman on his shoulder.

"Sou ka." He nodded and kept his face forward.

"Yukimura." Sanada called their buchou who was conversing with the Seigaku buchou that was lined up next to them.

"Hmn?" Yukimura turned his head towards his fukubuchou.

"Did you say something to Yagyuu?" Sanada asked without hesitation.

"What do you mean?" Yukimura asked a bit confused with the emperor's question.

"He seems a little out of it today." Sanada replied.

"Must be because it's his first time in the Nationals as a regular, last year he came only as a pre-regular reserve player." Yukimura assured the taller boy.

"I guess so." Sanada tried to convince himself that it was just that.

In the stands a certain purple haired girl was smiling and cheering for them, she was proud of the fact that the silver haired boy was standing at the center with the other players, he was proud of him, no matter what others say, no matter what reputation he has as a trickster, she was his man, nothing can change that. Or so she thought.

"Why are you staring at Yagyuu-kun?" a girl sitting beside her asked Mayumi.

"E?"

"I saw you, you were staring at Yagyuu-kun." The girl repeated.

"I was not." Mayumi denied.

"Stop messing around Suzuki-kun, or I'll tell Niou-kun." The girl threatened.

"Demo, I was not staring at Yagyuu-kun, it just so happened that he is standing in front of Niou-kun." Mayumi explained.

"You know, I liked you better when you didn't exist." The girl retaliated.

Mayumi was confused with what the girl said.

"You do know that we hate you right?" the girl added.

"E? Nande?"

"Stay away from Yagyuu-kun, you flirt." The girl threatened then left the seat.

Mayumi followed her with her eyes and whispered, "Demo, I was looking at Niou-kun, not Yagyuu-kun."

Marui noticed Mayumi to be looking at someone, someone other than Niou, and to his surprise, it was a girl that she was looking at. "Jackal, isn't that her?" Marui whispered to the half-Brazilian who was standing in front of him.

"E?" Jackal tried to look where Marui was pointing with his lips.

"The girl up there walking away, isn't that her?" Marui repeated.

Jackal's eyes widened, and nodded to Marui.

"She was seating next to Suzuki-kun a while ago, then she suddenly left." Marui added.

"Do you think Yagyuu noticed?" Jackal whispered back careful that the gentleman not hear what they were talking about since he was in hearing distance.

"I don't think so, Yagyuu's been zoning out since we met up at school this morning." Marui replied.

Sanada, who had hearing like a wild animal, noticed whispering behind their line and turned his head causing Marui and Jackal to stop discussing,. While Yanagi who could sense something was wrong, tried to look around for anything peculiar in the stands, he couldn't see anything suspicious, but he could feel something was out of place.

-oOo-

"So, Rokkaku is playing Higa right now?" Yanagi confirmed with Sanada as they were hanging around watching elimination games for the day.

"Aa, I heard Seigaku was there watching." Sanada replied.

"So you want us to go there and watch fukubuchou?" Akaya inquired.

"Iie, Yukimura said we should wait here while he finished something with the committee." Sanada replied.

"Could you excuse me for a while?" Yagyuu asked permission.

"Where are you going Yagyuu?" Sanada sternly asked the gentleman.

"I just need to go buy some water." Yagyuu gave as an excuse.

"Sou da, go ahead." Sanada gave permission.

"I'll go with you." Niou followed Yagyuu.

"Iie." Yagyuu refused and gave Niou a sharp gaze, something very unusual for the gentleman.

"Wow! Chill, fine, I'll stay." Niou replied and stepped back a little.

Yagyuu left without another word. The rest of the regulars were shocked with how the their teammate acted.

"Told you so." Marui told Jackal.

"Fine, I lose the bet." Jackal hands over a thousand yen bill to Marui.

"What is this?" Sanada questioned the betting game between the two.

"I told Jackal that Yagyuu was in a particularly bad mood because of the incident that happened the other day." Marui reasoned.

"What incident was that?" Yanagi questioned.

"Remember the professional tournament that took place in Tokyo a few days back?" Jackal asked the regulars.

"Sou da, Yagyuu said he was going to watch the final match right?" Niou remembers his best friend telling him something about that, but he didn't have enough money to buy a ticket so he didn't come with him to Tokyo to watch.

"Well, apparently Yagyuu ran into Seigaku's Kaidoh at the event." Marui continued.

"Don't tell me Yagyuu-senpai got in a fight with the Seigaku player?" Kirihara asked in disbelief.

"IIe," Jackal corrected, "They actually played an unofficial match as doubles partner and actually won, demo, when Yagyuu got back to Kanagawa something happened."

"What exactly happened?" Niou inquired, he was half pissed that all these happened and Yagyuu didn't bother to tell him.

"Yeah, what exactly happened?" Kirihara second.

"Jackal and I were walking home from the mall that day, we saw Yagyuu walking home from the train station so we wanted to greet him, demo—." Marui paused from dramatic effect.

"Demo?" Yanagi asked; excited to hear what was next.

"A girl came up to Yagyuu." Jackal continued.

"Nani?" Niou asked surprised.

"A girl?" Kirihara confirmed.

"I think she's in your section Yanagi." Marui pointed out.

"Which one?" Yanagi asked.

"The one with the dyed blonde hair, I was sure it was dyed because last year she had orange hair." Marui elaborated.

"Yamamoto-san?" Yanagi asked.

"That one! The one with dyed blonde hair, really big earrings and walks around with the girl with braces and wear too much make up." Marui furthered.

"Way to describe them Marui-senpai." Kirihara sarcastically commented at how Marui was describing the girls.

"Ah, Ito-san." Yanagi confirmed.

"So Yamamoto and Ito walked up to Yagyuu that day?" Sanada confirmed.

"IIe, just Yamamoto." Marui replied.

"Will you get your story straight Bunta!" Niou was getting pissed; he really wanted to know the point of the discussion.

"Fine, fine." Marui held his hand up a bit higher to guard for any suddenly movements from the trickster.

"Yamamoto-san came up to Yagyuu and we couldn't hear what they were talking about, but we we're certain she confessed to Yagyuu." Jackal continued.

"Nani?" Kirihara was shocked.

"Heh, she's not Yagyuu's type." Niou concluded.

"Exactly." Marui affirmed.

"So Yagyuu-senpai turned her down?" Kirihara confirmed.

"Of course he did." Niou answered.

"He did it gently though." Jackal emphasized.

"How did Yagyuu turn her down exactly?" Yanagi inquired.

"We don't have any idea." Marui replied.

"E?" Kirihara reacted.

"When Yamamoto started crying though, Yagyuu even took his handkerchief and handed it to the girl." Jackal explained.

"So very Yagyuu." Niou snickered.

"Yagyuu-senpai, kakoi." Kirihara said in admiration.

"As expected from the gentleman." Yanagi commented as well.

"Ano, sumimasen." Mayumi greeted the group.

"Ma-chan." Sanada acknowledged the girl.

"Konnichiwa Gen-kun, can I borrow Niou-kun for a while?" the girl asked permission.

"Aa." Sanada nodded.

"Dou shite?" Niou inquired.

"Iie, betsuni, I was kind of hungry so I was wondering if you wanted to go get something to eat, you don't have a game today right?" Mayumi asked the silverette.

Niou looks at Sanada before answering, and when the other boy nodded he gladly replied, "Sure." And the two left the rest of the group.

Marui and Jackal were exchanging suspicious glances that did not escape Sanada's eyes. "Dou shite Jackal, Marui?" the stern fukubuchou asked.

"We told you about Yamamoto-san confessing to Yagyuu right? Eto, this morning at the opening ceremony we saw Suzuki-kun looking at Yamamoto-san and was following with her with her eyes." Jackal replied.

"Did something happen between them?" Yanagi inquired.

"We didn't see anything; just that Suzuki had a troubled look on her face." Jackal replied.

Sanada followed Mayumi with his eyes, he was truly worried about his childhood friend, he was certain she would hide this from Niou so not to worry him.

"Demo, why would Yamamoto-san do anything to Suzuki-senpai? She confessed to Yagyuu-senpai right? And Suzuki-senpai is dating Niou-senpai, why would she be mad at Suzuki-senpai?" Kirihara wondered.

"I don't know, maybe she likes Niou as well." Marui speculated.

"Well, Yagyuu and Suzuki-kun are close as well; maybe she thought Suzuki-kun liked Yagyuu?" Jackal speculated as well.

"Nani? That's sick." Marui reacted.

"What's the commotion about?" Yukimura asked as he arrived holding a clipboard for their line up in the game against Murigaoka the following day.

"Yukimura." The regulars reacted surprised with the sudden appearance of their buchou.

"Where's Niou and Yagyuu?" Yukimura asked noting the two missing regulars.

"Yagyuu-kun bought something to drink, while Niou was fetched by your cousin to go eat." Yanagi replied.

"Sou ka, eto, it's almost lunch, so we all better get something to eat as well." Yukimura suggested.

Marui and Kirihara was of course very happy with their buchou's declaration.

"You all go on ahead, we'll follow you." Sanada declared surprising the others, including Yukimura, but no one dared to oppose the emperor, and Yukimura sensed there was something bothering his best friend so he stayed behind without a word.

"What's on your mind?" Yukimura asked the raven hair once the team was outside hearing distance.

"What did you say to Yagyuu?" Sanada asked the bluenette.

"Why do you keep on insisting that I told Yagyuu anything?" Yukimura replied a bit pissed.

"Because I know you did." Sanada sternly replied.

"And what if I didn't?" Yukimura added.

Sanada merely stared at Yukimura.

Yukimura stared back.

Sanada did not even flinch; he was determined to win this staring competition no matter what.

Yukimura could sense his best friend was dead serious; he was not winning this argument at any cost, "Fine." He gave up.

"Well?"

"I told him to stay away from Mayumi." Yukimura admitted.

"You what?" Sanada asked surprised.

"It was stupid I know, demo, I also told him to watch over her from a distance." Yukimura defended himself.

"That's stupid. And contradicting." Sanada fearlessly argued.

"I know." Yukimura admitted.

"Then why did you say that?" Sanada asked irritated.

"I don't know!" Yukimura was also getting pissed.

"You don't know? Since when did you go around talking to people without even thinking first?" Sanada began to scold his best friend.

"I regret saying that okay!" Yukimura argued.

"Well, you can't take it back now!" Sanada argued back.

"I know. It's just, Mayumi, she seemed so confused between Niou and Yagyuu." Yukimura explained.

"And this helps how?"

"Yagyuu was always there, lingering, he was always there catching her each time Niou let's go." Yukimura argued.

"Maybe because Yagyuu really loves her, that's why." Sanada raised his voice.

"I know! I know how Yagyuu feels about her! That's why I told Yagyuu to stay away. It's for him as well. Yagyuu is hurting Sanada, can't you see that?" Yukimura disputed.

"I know he's hurting. I know how Yagyuu feels! I've been there remember?" Sanada reminded his best friend.

"Sanada."

"I know how Yagyuu feels because I've been there before. We were young, love was not an option." Sanada was choking on his own saliva trying to hold back his emotions.

"This is still about Misumi isn't it?" Yukimura confirmed.

"Misu-chin was special to me, but she only saw me as a best friend, nothing more. I thought back then, it was because we were too young, maybe when we were older we could have a chance." Sanada poured out emotions that he had never told Yukimura before.

"Sanada."

"Ma-chan, she knew, she knew how I felt for her sister; Ma-chan supported me in her own way. She kept making efforts to get Misu-chin to get closer to me. That's why when Misu-chin died—." Sanada stopped and began to walk away from his best friend.

Yukimura grabbed the taller boy's arm, "Sanada."

Sanada stops and sighs, "Everyday, I'm so afraid that Niou would hurt Ma-chan, every day, I watch her from a distance. Because I don't want her to be hurt, I wanted to protect Ma-chan, because she did that for me, with Misu-chin. When you told me not to involve myself with her relationship with Niou when it was going through some rough patch I listened to you, because I respected you as her cousin. But you, interfering like this Yukimura, I never thought."

"Gomen Sanada."

"With Yagyuu watching after her, somehow I felt a bit relieved, I felt like someone was keeping her at watch when I was not, when I couldn't. Because even if I trust Niou, I'm still afraid he would hurt Ma-chan." Sanada admitted.

"So, it's true then, you prefer Yagyuu for Mayumi." Yukimura stated.

"It doesn't matter who I prefer, Ma-chan chose Niou, she loves Niou. It is not my place to interfere who she loves and who she doesn't." Sanada loosens himself from Yukimura's grip.

"Have you ever thought that maybe Yagyuu would also be hurt if he kept doing that?" Yukimura asked the emperor who was walking away.

"Don't you think the choice of being hurt and not is up to Yagyuu to decide?" Sanada left as a hanging question before finally walking away from the demigod.

_I know Sanada. I've been regretting it since I said those words to Yagyuu, so stop rubbing it in._ Yukimura thought to himself as he watched his best friend walk away.

-oOo-

"Game and match Rikkadai Fuzoku six games to love. Rikkaidai proceeds to the quarter finals." The referee announced at the end of the match between Rikkadai and Murigaoka.

"Omedetou Niou-kun!" Mayumi gladly greeted the silverette as he walked over after shaking hand with the opponent.

"Arigato Suzuki-kun." Niou replied gladly.

"Omedetou Yagyuu-kun." The girl also greeted the bespectacled boy who passed behind Niou.

"Ah, hai, arigato." Yagyuu hesitantly replied trying the avert the girl's eyes and walking straight to the bench to pack his things. _"Stay away…"_ Yukimura's words kept lingering in his mind.

"Are? Is Yagyuu-kun mad at me?" Mayumi asked his boyfriend.

"Iie, he's just not feeling well, something happened that must have shaken him." Niou explained remembering Marui and Jackal's story about the confession to Yagyuu.

"E? Did something bad happen to Yagyuu-kun lately?" Mayumi inquired further.

"Well, apparently Yamamoto-san confessed to him a few days back." Niou whispered in Mayumi's ears.

"E?" Mayumi remembers the girl who was angry with her during the opening ceremony telling her to stay away from Yagyuu. _I think she was Yamamoto-san._

"But, apparently Yagyuu turned her down. Gently, as expected from Yagyuu." Niou continued.

_So that's why she was mad at me. Demo, I was truthfully looking at Niou-kun and not Yagyuu-kun at that time._ Mayumi thought.

"Let me get my bag and we'll go get something to eat okay?" Niou told the girl with a smile.

"Aa, iiyo." Mayumi replied half-heartedly. She began searching the crowd for any sign of Yamamoto, but thankfully, she was not around that day.

"Sanada." Yukimura called his best friend who was still not speaking to him.

Sanada turned towards Yukimura but said nothing.

"Are you still mad?" Yukimura asked.

Sanada shook his head and placed his tennis bag on his shoulder, "Let's go get something to eat, we still have another game this afternoon."

"Yagyuu want to come with us and get something to eat?" Marui offered the ginger head after seeing Niou was leaving with Mayumi for lunch.

"Aa. Sure, arigato Marui-kun." The gentleman accepted the offer and walked on with Marui, Jackal and Akaya with Yanagi trailing behind them, despite the tightening sensation in his chest Yagyuu couldn't help but glance over at the two who were holding hands and happily walking, _"Stay away… - Watch her from a distance."_ Yukimura's contradicting words repeated itself in Yagyuu's head. Seeing Niou and Mayumi being all sweet and lovey made his heart ache, but Yukimura's words made his head hurt as well. Right now, Yagyuu, was so confused.

**-oOo-**

**So don't worry about Yamamoto, I promise she won't have anything to do with Niou and Suzuki, she's just a passing whim on this author's brain. As for Yagyuu, we'll just see where this depressive mood will take him, and what the other Rikkai boys will do next.**

**Thanks for reading minna!**


	21. Leaving is to Staying

**Chapter 20: Leaving is to Staying**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies.**

**-oOo-**

Do you believe in good fortune? Luck and all that. How about in destiny, do you believe in destiny as well? Frankly, it was difficult to believe anything when you're both confused and heart broken. That is why Yagyuu Hiroshi kept himself busy and preoccupied with anything he could be productive with, and what was worse is, that he couldn't talk about it with his best friend.

"There is something you're not telling me." Niou told his doubles partner as they were walking home for the day, as expected Rikkai won their match and proceeds to the Semi-Finals.

"I do not wish to trouble you with trivial things Niou-kun." Yagyuu replied and adjusted the tennis bag on his shoulder.

"So, Yanagi heard from Inui-san that Seigaku is proceeding to the Semi-Finals as well." Niou shrugged the issue off and tried to change the topic.

"Sou da. They're waiting for their opponent like us; they'll face whoever wins between Fudoumine and Shitenhouji." Yagyuu furthered.

"It'll probably be Shitenhouji. We faced them last year in the finals." Niou declared.

"Aa." Yagyuu replied, then there was silence between them until they got on the bus and got off near Rikkai.

The awkward silence was unbearable to Niou and he was not comfortable with Yagyuu being so serious, I mean, it's not like Yagyuu was ever the noisy one, it's just that, he was creepy serious at that moment, and it creeps even Niou.

"So, Suzuki didn't come to watch today because of the upcoming exams before summer break, apparently she's been having difficulties with English." Niou tried to start a new topic as they were now walking home.

"Aa." Was the short reply.

"Ne, Yagyuu, do you agree with Yanagi's plans about the Semi-Finals?" Niou continued to make conversation.

"Ma, if it'll help Kirihara-kun get back his old fire; you know he's mellowed down a little since the match against Fuji, with his current state we're going to have a difficult time winning." Yagyuu responded unenthusiastically.

"But that would mean you selling out your singles match." Niou insisted.

"That shouldn't be a problem right? You'll be in Doubles two with Yanagi-kun." Yagyuu responded coldly.

"Demo, aren't you worried that that'll tarnish your record? You've never lost in an official match?" Niou reasoned out.

"So have you."

"I've lost to you a couple of times." Niou tried to cheer up his best friend.

"I've lost to you more than a couple." Yagyuu retorted.

"Those are unofficial matches anyway so they don't count. You're still undefeated in the official scene, both of us are." Niou continued.

"It really doesn't matter to me." Yagyuu coldly replied.

"What do you mean it doesn't matter?" Niou asked confused.

"I'm quitting tennis when I get to high school." Yagyuu's words cut through Niou's throat like a dagger.

"Chotto matte!" Niou grabbed his doubles partner's wrist, "What do you mean you're quitting?"

Yagyuu adjusted his glasses and stopped walking to face his best friend, "Do you remember the reason why I joined the Tennis Club last year Niou-kun?"

Niou nodded his head and waited for an explanation.

"I see no reason to continue playing tennis in high school since you and Suzuki-kun are getting along well now. There is no reason for me to protect her anymore." Yagyuu said plainly then began to walk again.

"Matte! Yagyuu, I refuse to believe that Suzuki is the only reason you joined the club." Niou walked after the taller boy.

"I also give high regards to our friendship Niou-kun, that is why I stayed in the club." Yagyuu replied.

"Demo, when I see you play, I see someone who loves tennis." Niou reasoned out.

"There is another reason." Yagyuu continued.

"What reason is that?"

"Niou-kun, I need to leave you here, I will see you tomorrow at the Semi-Finals." Yagyuu turned to leave the trickster behind.

Niou stared at his best friend's back, he felt anger burning up inside of his because of what the ginger head said; but more so, he felt he needed to convince him to stay, to continue playing tennis, because he felt with is quitting tennis as he says, they're friendship will also end.

-oOo-

"Game and match Nagoya Seitoku, six games to two." The referee announced at the end of Singles 3.

"Yagyuu-senpai lost?" A Rikkai junior said as Yagyuu walked over to the bench wiping his sweat.

"Che, against a person like that." Kirihara boiled up at the sight of one of his favourite senpai defeated in the match.

"You alright?" Niou asked the ginger head as he sat beside the silverette as Marui and Jackal prepared for Doubles 2.

"Hmn."

Niou returned his eyes on the court trying to restrain himself from agitating the gentleman, he wouldn't admit it, but the conversation they had the day before really shook him up. He feared Yagyuu resigning from the team, he didn't want his best friend to quit tennis.

"This can't be, they're taking them off this early." A Rikkai junior reacted as they saw Marui and Jackal taking off their wrist and ankle weight before returning to the game, just like Yagyuu, they were seriously loosing.

No one but Kirihara was reacting from the regulars, everyone knew of the master's plan of action for this game, everyone except the junior ace.

"Game and Match Nagoya Seitoku." The referee announced and Marui and Jackal walked over to Yukimura who remained silent, this agitated Kirihara all the more.

"They lost so badly yet buchou is not saying anything." Kirihara complained to himself, he was up next, and it really bothered him why they were losing this way.

"Do you really think this will work?" Marui asked Jackal as they watch the junior ace step up to the court.

"We just need to trust Yanagi's better judgement on this." Jackal replied.

Niou glances over to Yagyuu who was focused on the junior player, he wanted to ask the gentleman about his opinion but despite being right next to him, he felt his best friend was very distant.

-oOo-

Kirihara fell to the ground bleeding, and his opponent was saying something in English, Kirihara being very bad at the language lay face down trembling in anger before asking, "Yagyuu-senpai, what did he say?"

Yagyuu adjusted his glasses before speaking up, "He said, 'Are they really last year's champs? In my country, even a little kid could beat this seaweed-haired bastard."

"Seaweed-head bastard? Did he really just say that?" Marui, who was also not so proficient with English asked Jackal about the gentleman's translation for Kirihara.

"Oi!" Jackal ignored Marui's question and noted the junior ace who seemed to be emitting a murderous aura.

Kirihara began to speed up and began to hit shots that are more powerful and eventually won the game. No one dared speak as the junior ace's laughter echoed in the air.

"Your turn Niou-kun." Yagyuu told the silverette who turned his head to his best friend.

"Aa." Was the response, then a smirk.

The opponent was in shock from what had just happened, "I can't believe we just lost—."

"To an island nation of tennis amateurs, you say." Yanagi butted in speaking English, "Right?"

"Puri." Niou added with a smirk.

After that was an easy win for the Trickster-Master pair, so easy that the opponent could not believe their eyes at how powerful Ouja Rikkai truly was.

"We lost because it was needed to awaken our junior player." Niou declared.

"E? You mean—Could it be that the first two matches were lost on purpose." Kirihara reacted at what his senpai declared.

"Hmn. That's just it." Marui snickered at Kirihara.

"That's how it was." Yagyuu adjusted his glasses.

"You better thank us." Jackal told the junior ace.

After which Yukimura spoke his first words, "Sa, Sanada, finish them off."

Sanada then step on to the court in all his glory and won the game for the team.

-oOo-

"Ma, I wish we just accepted Seigaku's invitation for Yakinuki instead." Marui complained as they finished their laps that evening after heading back to school from the semi-final matches.

"Mou, those Seigaku creeps must be munching on tasty beef right now." Kirihara declared his mouth starting to water.

"Be quiet you two, you want Sanada to hear you." Jackal reprimanded he himself panting. Their fukubuchou was in a particularly bad mood after finding out that Seigaku won over Shitenhouji in the semi-finals.

"Minna, gather!" Sanada shouted as he Yukimura and Yanagi stood just outside the clubroom.

"We'll be announcing the order of players for the finals." Yukimura announced.

"The finals were suspended for three days because of repairs to the court right?" Niou confirmed.

"Hai, but we'd like everyone to practice during those three days that is why we have decided on the order of players already, so please listen up." Yukimura declared.

"Singles 3, Sanada; Doubles 2, Marui-Jackal; Singles 2 Akaya; Doubles 1, Niou-Yagyuu; Singles 1, Yukimura, and I will be on reserve." Yanagi read out to the players.

"Chotto matte." Yagyuu protested which surprised everyone, Yagyuu never protested to a line up.

"Nande Yagyuu?" Yukimura asked the gentleman.

"Please take me out of the line-up." Yagyuu bowed to his buchou.

"E? Yagyuu-senpai, why do you want to be taken out of the line-up?" Kirihara reacted.

"Oi, Yagyuu with you and Niou playing there's no way we'd lose, you're like the perfect doubles pair to win this." Jackal commented.

"And what do you call us then?" Marui reacted.

"Shut up Marui, not now." Sanada reprimanded the serve-and-volley player, "What's your reason Yagyuu?" he then turned to the gentleman.

"Minna, I wanted to wait until after the Nationals to tell you this, demo, it seems I must tell you now." Yagyuu started.

Yukimura's eyes narrowed, somehow he felt he was partly to blame for what Yagyuu was about to say.

"I won't be attending Rikkai in High School." Yagyuu declared.

Niou's eyes widened, he was expected Yagyuu to tell them that he was quitting tennis in high school like he did the other day, but what he heard surprised him more, "Matte! What are you saying?" Niou reacted violently.

"Oi, Niou, calm yourself." Jackal and Marui grabbing Niou who was swinging his arms around as if to hit Yagyuu.

"Then why do you want to be taken off the line-up?" Sanada asked the gentleman as calmly as he could.

"Because I'm quitting tennis as well." Yagyuu replied plainly.

"Yagyuu—." Yukimura was about to begin but was cut off by the gentleman.

"I plan to attend a Science High School in Tokyo, Otou-san said it would be better to attend High School there if I plan to attend Medical School in Tokyo. I'll be focusing on my studies and will be quitting tennis, therefore, I do not want to be a burden to the team. I cannot play my best with all of these things bothering me, and it will not be beneficial to the team if I play." Yagyuu reasoned out.

"Is that your real reason?" Niou asked, unconvinced by his doubles partner's excuse.

"Hai." Yagyuu replied.

"Liar!" Niou retorted then walked away.

"Oi! Masaharu!" Marui called after the silverette.

"Let him go." Jackal stopped his doubles partner from running after the trickster.

"Are you sure about this Yagyuu?" Sanada asked the ginger head.

"Hai."

"It can't be helped then, we'll think of a new line up and announce it tomorrow, please be here for morning practice." Yukimura declared then turned his back to leave, Sanada and Yanagi following him soon after.

"Yagyuu-senpai." Kirihara slowly came up to his senpai.

"Dou shite Kirihara-kun?" he gently replied.

"Are you really quitting tennis?" the junior ace asked in disappointment.

"Hmn. I'll finish the remaining terms with the tennis club, then after graduation, I'm hanging up my tennis racket." Yagyuu replied.

"Nande?" Kirihara asked, his fist were shaking, and so was his voice, he didn't want his Yagyuu-senpai to quit tennis.

"Kirihara-kun." Yagyuu grabbed the junior by his shoulder. "There are some things in life—some choices that you have to deal with, no matter how much it hurts. Sometimes, you have to choose things that will hurt you less. Therefore Kirihara-kun, please, let me do this."

Kirihara lifted his head to his senpai, tears flowing from his eyes, "Hmn." He nodded with a bitter heart, because truly, Yagyuu was one senpai that he looked up to, not only in tennis, but in everyday life.

-oOo-

It was the day before the finals and everyone was fired up, including Yagyuu who have been attending practice despite being taken out of the line-up for the Nationals.

"Ohayou!" Mayumi greeted the bespectacled boy who was watching a practice match between the Marui-Jackal pair and the Kirihara-Yanagi pair.

"Ohayou." Was the cold response.

Mayumi stared at Yagyuu, she had no idea of the boy's plans of quitting tennis, let alone transferring school. "Yagyuu-kun, daijabou desu ka?"

"Hmn." Was again the cold response.

"So, I heard from Niou-kun you were not playing for the Finals?" Mayumi inquired of the boy.

"Aa." Yagyuu was still as cold as ever, not even a chance of warming up.

Mayumi stared at the boy who did not take his eyes off the court, "Ano, Yagyuu-kun, by any chance, are you mad at me?"

Yagyuu shook his head as a response.

"Then why won't you look at me?" Mayumi grabbed Yagyuu's wrist shooting electricity up the boy's spine.

Yagyuu then turned his head towards the girl, but avoiding any eye contact, "Suzuki-kun, to avoid any misunderstanding, please refrain from touching me."

Mayumi then quickly removed her hand from Yagyuu's wrist and stepped back a little, Yagyuu was not Yagyuu, he was not the Yagyuu that she knew.

"Niou-kun is my best friend, and I don't want people to think that I am interfering with my best friend's relationship." Yagyuu continued.

"Nani?" Mayumi asked confused as to what the boy was talking about, as far as she was concerned, no one was misinterpreting Yagyuu and her relationship as friends.

"Gommenasai." Yagyuu bowed then walked away.

Yukimura who was standing on the sideline saw everything that happened and felt guilty.

"Do you now see the implications of what you said to him?" Sanada asked the demigod.

"Stop rubbing it in Sanada." Yukimura replied.

"I don't think Yagyuu really wants to quit tennis." Sanada declared.

"Are you blaming me for his decision?" Yukimura snaps back at Sanada.

"Can you tell me why Yukimura is to be blamed for Yagyuu's decision?" Niou suddenly appeared behind the two.

"Niou?" Sanada surprised by the trickster appearance.

"Did you say something to Yagyuu?" Niou faced Yukimura.

"Nothing that concerns you." Yukimura replied.

"But it has something to do with Suzuki right?" Niou concluded.

"Niou, this is not the time to discuss this." Sanada tried to intervene.

"Yagyuu has been cold to both me and Suzuki since you talked to him a few weeks back. What exactly did you say to him Yukimura?" Niou persisted.

"I said, it doesn't concern you Niou!" Yukimura began to raise his voice, causing the four other regulars who were playing a practice match to stop and look towards them, including Mayumi who was watching the game where Yagyuu had left her.

"Yagyuu is my best friend so it concerns me!" Niou retorted.

"Yamero Niou!" Sanada grabbed the silverette by the shoulder.

"Let go of me Sanada!" Niou brushes off his fukubuchou's hand.

"Oi, oi, what's happening over there?" Marui asked.

"I think we better go over." Yanagi declared and lead the rest of the team to run towards their arguing teammates.

"Seiichi, Niou-kun!" Mayumi shouted and began to run towards the arguing boys as well.

"Answer me Yukimura!" Niou demanded, this was no longer a matter of who was buchou and who was not, nor was it even an issue about the tennis club, this was about friendship and love.

"Seiichi, what's going on?" Mayumi grabbed her cousin's arm before getting in between him and Niou.

"Mayumi, please step away." Yukimura calmly told his cousin.

"Are you afraid for her to hear what you told Yagyuu?" Niou asked the bluenette.

"Seiichi? Is this true? Did you say something bad to Yagyuu-kun?" Mayumi faced her cousin.

Yukimura averted her eyes.

"Seiichi." Mayumi grabbed her cousin's arms.

"Hai."

"Seiichi?" Yanagi was caught off-guard by their buchou's admission.

"What exactly this you say to him?" Niou asked next.

Yukimura looked at Mayumi then at Niou.

"You didn't?" Niou understood perfectly what Yukimura meant by his gesture.

Mayumi covered her mouth, she could not believe her beloved cousin had done such a thing.

"Gomen, Mayumi, I thought—." Yukimura was not able to finish what he was saying because Mayumi ran off to find Yagyuu.

Niou stepped forward and frankly, he wanted to punch Yukimura, but he resisted his raging hormones and ran after his girlfriend to try to find his best friend.

Yukimura then dropped to his knees, Sanada and the rest of the team trying to catch him.

"Yukimura." Was Sanada's solemn retort.

"I never thought I'd fail this badly as a person Sanada." Yukimura said in frustration.

"Yukimura, you only wanted what was best for her." Sanada tried to comfort his best friend and buchou.

"Ah, minna, I don't want to be a very insensitive person right now, demo, we all do understand that it's the Finals tomorrow right?" Marui reminded the group.

"I agree with Marui, I don't think this is the proper time to be dealing with this." Yanagi second.

"Yukimura-buchou, you have always watched out after us, and honestly I don't understand what's going on but I would have to agree with Marui-senpai and Yanagi-senpai." Kirihara patted his buchou's shoulder.

Yukimura nodded his head, "Sa, please go back to practice minna." Then stood up with the help of Sanada.

-oOo-

"Yagyuu-kun! Yagyuu-kun!" Mayumi called for the gentleman, she had been running around the campus trying to find the boy. _When I am missing, when I am lost, Yagyuu-kun always found me. He always found me. Where are you Yagyuu-kun?_

-oOo-

"You done sulking?" Niou asked the ginger head who was fixing some paper pile in the student council room. Niou was particularly good at finding Yagyuu when he's hiding.

"Niou-kun, what do you need?" the gentleman replied unenthusiastically.

"Yukimura told you to stay away from Suzuki, didn't he?" Niou went straight to the point.

"Shouldn't you be happy about that?" Yagyuu retorted.

"I should actually, after all you are the greatest threat to Suzuki and my relationship." Niou admitted.

"So, what's the problem then?" Yagyuu asked not really minding to look at the other boy and continued to keep himself busy with a bunch of papers.

"It's not very like you to skip out on practice like this." Niou continued settling himself on the table.

"Tables are not meant for sitting Niou-kun." Yagyuu reprimanded the boy.

"I know you still love her."

Yagyuu stopped what he was doing and looked at the silverette, "That's why I'm taking Yukimura's advice."

"Do you honestly think this is such a good idea?" Niou asked the boy.

"I'm jealous." Yagyuu admitted.

Niou raised a brow.

"It hurts each time I see you together. It pains me to know that her family accepted you, secretly I was hoping that they wouldn't, but then again, I thought, if that happened it would pain her, and I didn't want that either." Yagyuu continued.

Niou stayed silent and let Yagyuu blow off some steam.

"When she cries I want to comfort her, when she laughs I want to laugh with her, I want to protect her. But I'm not her boyfriend. And her boyfriend is my best friend which hurts me more." Yagyuu furthered and gave off a long sigh.

"But you are still her friend." Niou replied plainly.

Yagyuu just stared at Niou.

Niou gets off the table and steps outside, "You're special to her."

"Nani?"

"She's always been fond of you, always saying that she was jealous of me for having a best friend like you." Niou told Yagyuu.

"Niou-kun."

"Suzuki thinks you're the world bestest best friend, and she wants you to be happy. She knows how you feel for her, but she also knows that you understand why she chose me. So, Yagyuu, your presence in our lives doesn't confuse her. I believe having you in our lives just makes us stronger, Suzuki and I." Niou smirks then walks to the door.

Yagyuu follows Niou with his eyes.

"Right now, Suzuki, she's probably running all over the school looking for you." Niou declares before exiting the door. "But I'm not jealous, because I know she's looking for her friend Yagyuu-kun, my best friend Yagyuu." Niou smiles at Yagyuu and salutes, "Ja ne Yaaaaagyuu."

**-oOo-**


	22. Finality is to Negotiable

**Chapter 21: Finality is to Negotiable**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies.**

**-oOo-**

The cheering crowd was deafening as the two teams line up for the Finals of the National Tournament, blue and white on one side, yellow and black on the other. The excitement was way too much for anyone, even the tennis players who have been eliminated. This was a battle worth watching, Ouja Rikkai versus the Ouji Seigaku, who will win? Unknowing to everyone in that stadium, an internal battle was also going on in the hearts of the champions, last year's champion.

Yukimura glances to his side; his team was perfect, each one demonstrating a fighting spirit and could never be extinguished. He knew, they would win, no matter how strong Seigaku was; he was determined to win. However, when his eyes met the emerald ones of the trickster he felt a pinch in his chest.

Niou looked straight into his buchou's eyes, inside him was a debate, he respected his buchou, actually, he likes his buchou very much, because he was kind and gentle outside the tennis court, he always cared for their welfare, especially their kohai. He felt a sense of rage for him each time he sees the pained look on his best friend's face from what has been said, but right now, there was no place for hatred, right now they had to focus on taking Rikkai to their third straight win at the Nationals. That is why Niou decided to smirk and nod at his buchou.

Niou's reaction surprised Yukimura, but calmed him a little; he nodded back before turning to face Tezuka, "Let's have a good game." He smiled at the fellow buchou.

"Aa." Tezuka replied and shook Yukimura's hand.

"Nationals Tournament Finals, Rikkai Dai Fuzoku versus Seishun Gakuin, Singles 3, Rikkai Dai Sanada versus Seigaku Tezuka." The referee announced as the Finals commenced.

"Gen-kun!" Mayumi shouted just as Sanada was about to step into the court. "Ganbatte!" She smiled.

Sanada nodded then proceeded to the court.

"Konnichiwa, minna-san." She then turned to greet the rest of the Rikkai regulars.

"Mayumi." Yukimura hesitantly replied, he hasn't spoken with his cousin since the debacle yesterday, and he was unsure if she hated him now.

"Seiichi, are you feeling better?" Mayumi smiled at her cousin, as if nothing happened yesterday.

"Ah, hai, arigato." Yukimura replied a bit uneasy.

"Hmn. Good to know, Konnichiwa Niou-kun." Mayumi then turned to her boyfriend.

"Konnichiwa." Niou smiled at the girl.

"Konnichiwa Suzuki-senpai." Kirihara greeted the girl.

"Hai. Ganbatte ne Kirihara-kun." She patted the junior's shoulder.

"Hai." Kirihara replied enthusiastically.

"You too Marui-kun, Jackal-kun, Yanagi-kun." She then turned to the rest of the regulars who all nodded and smiled back at her. She then stood in between Niou and Yagyuu who were watching the game.

Yagyuu flinched and was about to exchange places with Jackal when Mayumi grabbed his wrist.

"Where do you think you're going Yagyuu-kun?" Mayumi stared deeply into Yagyuu's eyes, which were hidden beneath his oval spectacles.

Yagyuu looked at Niou who was smiling at him, as if telling him to stay footed where he is. He then turned to Yukimura who despite looking at the court was nodding as if saying to him stay.

"You don't want to watch the game beside me?" Mayumi asked the ginger head.

"Iie." Yagyuu responded.

"Then why are you leaving?" Mayumi asked again.

Yagyuu then adjusted himself and stood right beside the girl, uncomfortable, as it seemed.

Mayumi then smirked and went back to watching her best friend play against the buchou from Seigaku.

Niou placed his arms on Mayumi and watched along, contented with his best friend standing next to his girlfriend.

-oOo-

The crowd were still cheering as Sanada and Tezuka were hand in hand, as the end of Singles 3 was announced with Sanada winning seven games to five, but his knees were badly swollen.

"Do we have ice?" Mayumi asked Jackal who was in-charge of the first aid kit as Yanagi and Yagyuu were assisting the emperor to the bench.

"Hai, it's in the ice box over there." Jackal pointed the girl to the red box placed in the corner.

"Daijabou Sanada?" Yukimura asked the stern man.

"Hmn."

"You finally beat him." Yukimura declared.

Sanada merely nodded.

"Here, put some ice on that knee." Mayumi handed the ice to Niou who assisted Jackal in cooling down Sanada's swollen knees.

"You're a very concerned person, like always." Yagyuu commented to the girl.

Mayumi was surprised that the gentleman finally talked to her like his normal self, calm and kind, she smiled and nodded at him. And somehow, Yagyuu felt a little lighter.

"Kirihara-kun, Yanagi-kun, ganbatte!" Mayumi then cheered on the two who were up next to play.

-oOo-

Rikkai was one win away from the National Title, after Seigaku forfeited Doubles 2 and the crowd was cheering, although they were confident they were going to win, somehow, a lingering feeling of doom could not be lifted from among them.

"Niou, go grab the title for us." Marui told the silverette who was readying his tennis racket.

"Puri." Was the smug response.

"Niou-kun." A shy small voice called from the stands. "Ganbatte!" Mayumi lifted a fist to encourage her boyfriend.

A smile and a nod was the response of the resident prankster as he prepared to face the Seigaku tensai.

The gentleman was silent, sitting on the team bench quietly observing his best friend and doubles partner as he stepped into court for a singles match. Yagyuu's heart was being crushed. He was supposed to play Doubles 1 with Niou, but he asked to be removed from the line-up. His last tennis match was a sell-out, a sell out to awaken Kirihara's tamed spirit. A dilemma was within his heart, he didn't really want to give up on tennis, he didn't really want to quit the game, but tennis was more than a game to him, it was how he found his best friend, it was how he protected the girl he loved from being bullied. And somehow, each time he plays tennis, or even watch tennis, he is reminded of how his unrequited love will remain only his. Because the person whom he protected Mayumi from, was now the person protecting Mayumi. And that same person was now his best friend.

"Yagyuu." Called Yanagi to the drifting ginger head beside him.

"Hai?" Yagyuu replied still a bit dazed.

"Niou is losing; you don't seem to be worried about it?" Yanagi exclaimed.

Yagyuu then turned to see the score board, true enough he's been dazed and thinking that Niou was now three games behind Fuji.

Niou hit the ball and went directly to the net.

"Games Seigaku four games to love." The referee announced.

Niou walked over to their bench and began to wipe his sweat.

"Niou-kun." A worried Mayumi ran towards the bench, but was stopped by Yagyuu. "Yagyuu-kun?"

"Don't."

"Demo, Yagyuu-kun." Mayumi reasoned.

"Just watch. Niou-kun has something up his sleeves." Yagyuu confidently declared.

Mayumi was confused and was looking at Yagyuu's calm face.

_Show them your real strength Niou-kun._ Yagyuu thought in his mind, he knew his best friend so well, he knew he wouldn't lose that easily.

Sanada was reprimanding Niou, but Yukimura stopped their fukubuchou from saying any more.

"I'm still gathering data; can you shut your trap for a while more?" Niou said irritated as he stepped back to court. He was pissed, anyone can tell.

"Niou-kun." Mayumi's heart was beating fast; she was not particularly worried that the boy was losing, but that the boy was not smiling any more. Mayumi's eyes widened as she saw her boyfriend change into the image of Tezuka Kunimitsu, Seigaku's buchou.

Yagyuu nodded approvingly, _I knew you were planning something; you are after all the trickster of the court._

Niou was able to reverse the score, he was now on advantage and was having his service play, however, the Seigaku tensai began to play with his eyes closed, and somehow, he was able to overcome Niou's illusion. Niou then changed into Shiraishi, and attempted to defeat Fuji, but after Fuji revealed his Sixth Counter, Niou was beaten.

"Niou-kun." Mayumi covered her mouth as he watched his boyfriend shake hands with the tensai.

Yagyuu was silent, they were Rikkai, and loosing was never an option for them, when they sold out the games during the semi-finals, they were on a mission to awaken their junior ace, his perfect tennis record was blemished by a sell-out game, but today, his best friend's perfect record was blemished, because he was truly beaten. Yagyuu felt his heart to be heavier, he knew Niou gave his best but still he lost.

"Yaaaaagyuu." The trickster settled himself beside his doubles partner.

"Daijabou?" Yagyuu asked.

"Hai. That Fuji Syusuke sure is a tough opponent. Demo, I got a few new tricks that I acquired because of the game." Niou smirked.

"N-Niou-kun." Mayumi gently called the trickster.

Niou threw his head backwards so that he could see the girl from behind, "You look upside down Suzuki." He joked.

Mayumi chuckled and went closer, placing her hands of the trickster's face, "That's because your head is upside down Niou-kun."

"Is it?" Niou joked.

Mayumi chuckled, then looked at Yagyuu, "You know Niou-kun, Yagyuu-kun really knows you well."

Yagyuu, who was trying his best not to glance sideways to avoid seeing the lovey-dovey scene that was going on beside him was caught off guard by the girl's statement and turned his head.

"Really now?" Niou looked at Yagyuu teasingly.

"Hmn. You see, when you were not scoring a point earlier, I was really worried, I almost ran to the court, but Yagyuu, he stopped me." Mayumi explained.

"Did he?" Niou had a smug look on his face as he teased Yagyuu.

"Hai. He was so confident that I need not worry about you. Yagyuu-kun, he trusts your capabilities a whole lot." Mayumi continued.

Yagyuu cleared his throat and tried to focus on the doubles match that Marui and Jackal was playing.

"Oi, Yaaaaaagyuu!" Niou lightly punched the other boy's arm.

Yagyuu turned his head towards Niou and began to rub his arm.

"Arigato." Niou playfully said.

Yagyuu's brows raised, Niou just said 'arigato', Niou never thanked anyone, you would have to coerce it out of him before he even admits anyone helped him.

"Nani?" Niou asked noting the bewildered look on Yagyuu's face.

"Iie, betsuni." Yagyuu replied and turned back to the game.

Niou chuckled and turned to Mayumi who was also smiling at Yagyuu.

Somehow, even if his heart was aching, Yagyuu was happy; having his best friend and the girl he loved right next to him, he felt like all the weight of the world was lifted from his shoulders. To Yagyuu Hiroshi it was better this way, at least he was with them, he could sit next to them and still breathe, even if, it hurts so much he wished he was dead.

-oOo-

Two halves of the tennis ball landed on Yukimura's side of the court and the referee announced that the match was won by Echizen; Ouja Rikkai had lost to Ouji Seigaku. It was a tragedy, everyone was so happy when Yukimura made it to the Nationals, but the power that Seigaku was hiding was far too much for them. Or, it could be that Ouja Rikkai was not in perfect shape due to the emotional roller coaster that they were going through right before the finals.

-oOo-

Tennis season was over, but practice proceeded as usual, they needed to keep in shape, whether they continue to play in high school or not, they had kohais to train and an empire to rebuild after their defeat. The halls of Rikkai was quiet that day, needless to say, they were still grieving for the lost at the Nationals, no one was in a mood to laugh and mess around, not even as the Rikkai Big Three were passing by the hallway, simply because they don't, not anymore. Yanagi so it seems, was preoccupied with Student Council work, along with Yagyuu who was also keeping himself busy with anything other than tennis. Sanada still attended practice but because he was also participating in an Academic Competition for Mathematics, he was busy preparing along with his teammates. Yukimura was the only one left at full concentration to the Tennis Club, of course, he still had Marui, Jackal, Niou and Akaya who were backing him up; but even the blind can see; Ouja Rikkai was not the same.

"Sa, minna, for tomorrow's morning practice Niou will facilitate the warm-up, and Jackal will facilitate the training proper. For the afternoon practice, Marui will facilitate the warm up and I will facilitate the training proper. Akaya, remember you have speed training tomorrow with Sanada in the gym so you'll be excused from the ground practice tomorrow." Yukimura announced as he dismissed the team.

"Buchou." Kirihara approached the bluenette.

"Doushita Akaya?" Yukimura replied as he was checking some items on his checklist.

"I miss the senpai-tachi." Kirihara declared.

Yukimura stopped writing on his clipboard and lifted his eyes to the younger tennis player standing in front of him, eyes teary and face serious.

"I miss the senpai-tachi." Kirihara repeated.

"Ak—." Yukimura was cut off.

"I miss everyone, Sanada fukubuchou always pushed me around to train harder, now, he's hardly ever here." Kirihara continued.

At this point Marui, Jackal and Niou had walked up to the two who were conversing.

"Sanada has decathlon training for the National Competition of the Mathematics Wizards, he'll be busy until the start of next term." Yukimura explained to the junior ace.

"I know that, demo; it's not the same without them. Yanagi-senpai he rarely comes any more, I always depended on him for strategy planning." Kirihara complained.

"Oi Akaya, get a hold of yourself." Jackal told his kohai.

"Yanagi is a bit busy with Student Council work, especially with the Senior's High school Entrance Assessment Test coming up, he has a handful to work on, we can't always expect that he'll come to practice every day." Yukimura patiently explained.

"Yagyuu-senpai, he said he wouldn't quit the team, he said that he will finish his senior year with the tennis team. He told me that himself, demo, he hasn't come since—." Kirihara began to sob and choke, tears began to rush down his face.

"Oi, Akaya—." Marui was going to comment something harsh but opted not to, instead began to pat his kohai's back.

Yukimura could not answer the junior ace's questions anymore, because even he could not understand what has happened to them. He kept asking himself, _Can defeat really make a team crumble to the ground like this?_

"Ma, ma, you really are a cry baby aren't you Akaya?" Niou joked as he too patted Kirihara on the back.

"Oi, Oi, wipe your tears, if Sanada sees you like this he'll probably slap you silly." Jackal commented trying to make the junior laugh.

"Gomen, Akaya, I do not have the answers to your questions." Yukimura said sadly then slowly walked away.

Marui, Jackal and Niou just stood there still trying to make Kirihara stop crying, looking at each other with questions that they did not speak out in the open.

-oOo-

"So, here are the paper work for the activities next week, and please announce to every class about the schedule for Autumn review, High School Entrance Assessment Exam will proceed during the Winter term as originally announced. Also, Watanabe-sensei asked to have a copy of everything so please provide one for him." Yagyuu instructed the council secretary as they finished off their meeting for the day.

"Going home now Yagyuu?" Yanagi asked the bespectacled boy as he was fixing his bag, it's been a busy council day and he knew they were both tired.

"Aa, I just need to return these books to the library before I proceed home." Yagyuu replied picking up his bag and a couple of books on the table.

"I'll go with you." Yanagi presented himself.

The two walked to the library quietly and not even conversing about anything, until Yanagi cleared his throat.

"If there's something you want to ask Yanagi-kun, please, ask me directly." Yagyuu said sensing that the data man had something on his mind.

"Yagyuu, why did you honestly join the tennis club?" Yanagi asked.

Yagyuu did not respond.

"I've known you since we were ichnen, we've worked together in the student council as class representatives, I know for a fact that golf has been your sport of choice, because it's what your otou-san plays." Yanagi continued.

"Gomen Yanagi-kun that is one question I cannot answer." Yagyuu replied.

"Because of Niou?" Yanagi pressed.

Yagyuu stopped walking and stared at the data man.

"Did I hit a sore spot?" Yanagi asked.

Yagyuu took his eyes off Yanagi and continued walking.

"I know that you made a deal with Niou, that you will join the tennis club if he stopped bullying Suzuki-kun." Yanagi continued.

Yagyuu froze.

"Bingo!"

"How did you know about that, it was supposed to be a secret? Niou-kun specifically asked me to keep it a secret. Did Niou-kun tell you?" Yagyuu could feel his facial muscles twitching.

"Iie. Yagyuu, it was too obvious. You joined the tennis club and the next moment Niou stopped picking on Suzuki-kun, instead he started to divert his attention to Akaya. But for someone who he had picked on since the first year, to suddenly stop for a tennis club rookie who was simple minded and easily fall for his tricks was just out of place." Yanagi furthered.

"Iiyo, so maybe Suzuki-kun was the reason why I joined, that doesn't matter now, since she now has a romantic relationship with Niou-kun." Yagyuu said defeated.

"How long have you loved her?" Yanagi asked without hitting the brakes.

Yagyuu froze again, he never openly talked about his feelings for Mayumi, maybe only during the time that he and Niou were competing for her heart, but since Niou had already won, he never talked about it anymore, not to anyone.

"Long before Niou even confessed to her, you loved her right?" Yanagi walked over so that he was right in front of Yagyuu, "Yagyuu, you have been helping Mayumi wash off and wipe off everything that Niou would dump on her almost every morning since we were ichnen. I know you're this really nice guy, a perfect gentleman, demo, isn't a bit off that you've been patiently watching over her since the first year?" Yanagi prompted a thinking process that unknown to him would cause Yagyuu to make the greatest decision of his life. "So, Yagyuu, if you would ask me, I would say, you've loved Suzuki Mayumi since we were ichnen, you just didn't know about it yet, but deep inside of you, you felt it didn't you?"

Yagyuu stared at the master, he had been speechless a couple of times in his life, but this particular time of not being able to say anything hit him the hardest. "Excuse me Yanagi-kun; I need to go the library." He walked away, his mind bothered by what the master had told him.

**-oOo-**

**Sorry to leave you hanging again, 3K word rule.**


	23. Memories are to Realities

**Chapter 22: Memories are to Realities**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**-oOo-**

Summer break has always been humid and exhausting, especially when there was nothing to do. Yukimura had decided to give the team a break, a week's break, they were supposed to have summer training, but for some reason the demigod decided he wanted to go on vacation, and everyone else was given mandatory summer vacation to as he said 'R&R', whatever that meant. But the real reason behind the sudden announcement was unknown to everyone, except for Sanada, and the person who was the real reason why Yukimura decided on such an important matter so suddenly.

"Yukimura." Sanada called out as he dropped the firewood on the ground, his best friend has been drifting since they finished setting up the tent a while ago.

"Ah, your back, otsukare sama." Yukimura forced a smile.

"Hmn." Sanada began setting up the fire, it was getting dark and they needed to cook dinner, at least he had to, because the way Yukimura was, he might just end up burning their food.

"Is it my fault Sanada?" Yukimura finally asked a question he's been asking himself for weeks.

Sanada kept silent; instead, he continued setting up the fire and the fish that he was going to cook for dinner.

"I feel like, I am to blame for Yagyuu's sudden decision." Yukimura continued.

Sanada froze for a while but continued what he was doing.

"Mayumi will definitely hate me now." Yukimura declared and threw his hands up to the air and moaned and whined and was just acting un-Yukimura-ish

"She won't." Sanada replied just as the flames went on, he went old school and rubbed two sticks to create fire when Yukimura had packed matches in the bag for them to use, but, no, Sanada had to be all outdoorsy and rub two twigs together.

"How do you know that she won't, Niou probably hates me enough already." Yukimura continued to whine.

Sanada had heard just about enough from his whining best friend, after all, it was not like Yukimura to whine like that, "Yukimura!"

Yukimura looked at the stoic fukubuchou in shock, Sanada never shouts at him, he shouts at almost everyone, especially when they'd slack off, but he never shouts at him.

"Number one, Yagyuu decided to quit the team; no one forced him to do that, so it's not your fault. Number two, Ma-chan does not, nor will she ever hate you, she's not that kind of person, you should know that better than me. Number three, Niou does not hate you, he may get mad at you, want to strangulate you and stare like you like he wants to eat your alive, but he will never hate you, Niou as you and I both know, is tough on the outside but a softy on the inside. So quit whining!" Sanada scolded his buchou.

Yukimura gave off a sigh of dismay, "To think that Yagyuu decided on quitting so suddenly."

"Look, no one else knows that Yagyuu quit the team, except Yagyuu, you and me. Not even Niou knows; you still have time to talk it out with Yagyuu and convince him not to quit. Besides, there won't be any official matches left, just a couple of practice matches with other schools, so for now try and clear you head. That's why I brought you here, so you can get some mountain air and clears your mind, think it over, think of how to convince Yagyuu not to quit the team." Sanada advised.

Yukimura nodded and sat himself on a rock while Sanada began grilling the fish.

-oOo-

Yagyuu Hiroshi was a quiet person, even when he was at home. He would settle himself in a corner and read a good book, do origami or something creative and productive. When he's out of things to keep himself occupied, he would help out in the kitchen, although his mother will often kick him out of the kitchen saying he was a better cook than she was. He was a loving aniki, and was very patient with playing teatime with his imouto, who seem to always forget that his niichan was a boy, forcing him to play with her and her dolls.

"Oniichan! Oniichan! You're spilling the tea on Usa-chan!" Kimiko complained to his brother who was tilting the empty teacup on the stuff rabbit's nose.

"Oh, gomen Kimiko, gomen Usa-chan." Yagyuu began wiping the stuff rabbit nose with the cloth tissue on the play table.

Kimiko began to giggle from his brothers action, "Oniichan, we're just playing, there is no actual tea in that cup remember? You didn't really get Usa-chan wet."

Yagyuu snapped out of his confusion and stopped wiping the stuff rabbit nose; he clears his throat and adjusts his glasses.

Kimiko noticed the sadness in his brother's face, "Oniichan, daijabu desu ka?"

"Hmn? Ah, hai, daijabu desu." Yagyuu adjusted his kneeling position.

"Did you have a fight with Niou-oniichan?" Kimiko inquired, noting that his brother's best friend hasn't come over to their house in a while.

"Huh? Iie. Niou-kun and I are not fighting." Yagyuu denied.

"Yukimura-oniichan then?" Kimiko continued to question his brother.

"Iie." Yagyuu denied.

"Sanada-oniichan?"

"Iie."

"Marui-oniichan?"

"IIe."

"Yanagi-oniichan?"

"Iie."

"Jackal-oniichan?"

"Iie."

"Then is must be Kirihara-oniichan!" Kimiko concluded.

"Iie, iie, I'm not having a fight with any one from the tennis club." Yagyuu patiently explained to his imouto.

"Maybe with Mayumi-oneechan then?" Kimiko asked, hitting a bulls-eye in his brother's heart.

Yagyuu cleared his throat, "Iie, I am not having a fight with any one Kimiko, there's just a lot of things in my mind right now." Yagyuu patiently explained.

"Like what?" Kimiko asked innocently.

"Like High School." Yagyuu replied.

"Oniichan, are you really going to Tokyo for high school?" Kimiko asked in a sad tone.

Yagyuu stared at his sister for a while before answering, "Kimiko, I need to go to Tokyo because I need to attend a Science High School that has a connection with a Medical University, you do know that oniichan wants to be a doctor like otou-san right?"

Kimiko nodded, "Demo, can't you just attend Rikkai Science High School?"

Yagyuu sighed, he had thought about applying for Rikkai Science High, but he knew that Rikkai did not have any affiliations to any Medical University.

"Oniichan." Kimiko walked over so that she was sitting on her brother's lap, "You're very smart and responsible, I know that wherever you attend high school you'll still get into any Medical University that you apply for."

Yagyuu could not resist the smile creeping onto his face after hearing what his sister just said, so he then hugged his sister tightly, somehow, even if she was still very young, she understood him so much more than anyone did.

-oOo-

"Ah, I can't believe summer break is almost over." Mayumi stretched out her arms as she and Niou were walking along the breakwater.

"It went by so fast." Niou agreed.

Mayumi stopped walking and jumped off the break water right in front of Niou, "What are you thinking about?"

"Betsuni." Niou denied.

"Niou-kun." Mayumi insisted.

Niou sighed, it sucked that Mayumi was so observant, "Yagyuu."

"E? Doushita?"

"I haven't talked to Yagyuu in a while." Niou continued.

"Mou, you miss Yagyuu-kun that much?" Mayumi said in a childish voice.

Niou smirked, "Jealous much?" he teased.

Mayumi pouted, "Should I be jealous of Yagyuu-kun?" her eyes narrowed, then pretended to have a shock expression on her face, "Niou-kun, don't tell me, are you gay?" he teased back.

"Of course not!" Niou denied vehemently.

"Ma, ma, its summer break and were together, demo, its Yayuu-kun that you keep thinking of. Therefore, you must be—." Mayumi continued to tease but was cut off by Niou's lips pressing unto hers.

"Is that gay enough for you?" Niou asked as he pulled away from the girl.

Mayumi was speechless.

"Now, back to what I was saying. I'm a bit worried about Yagyuu. He hasn't been to practice since Nationals ended, we haven't talked much either." Niou furthered.

"Maybe Yagyuu-kun's just a little busy with Student Council stuffs." Mayumi tried to offer as an explanation.

"So is Yanagi, but he comes to practice every now and then." Niou reasoned out.

"Demo, Yagyuu-kun s Council Vice President, Yanagi-kun is only a Class Representative, surely Yagyuu-kun's job requires much more attention." Mayumi furthered.

"He doesn't join me for lunch either." Niou rebutted.

"Maybe it's because you spend lunch with me and Yagyuu is just being polite." Mayumi defended.

"He doesn't walk home with me either." Niou added.

"Maybe because you walk me home." Mayumi replied.

For every reason that Niou could think of, Mayumi had a counter, finally Niou ran out of things to say.

"Why do you keep defending him?" Niou finally argued.

"I'm not; I just want you to see that there is nothing to worry about Yagyuu-kun." Mayumi reasoned, "Niou-kun, you and I both know that Yagyuu-kun is a very responsible and well balanced person, we don't need to worry about anything."

Niou lips twitched from side to side, he rolled his eyes and sighed. "Maybe, but I still won't feel alright until I talk to him and hear it from him personally."

"So, go visit him at home." Mayumi advised.

"Will you come with me?" Niou asked the girl.

Mayumi wanted to say yes, first of all, she hasn't been to Yagyuu's place, then come to think of it, she hasn't been to Niou's place either, but something stopped her from saying yes. "I think it would be better if you two talk this out by yourselves." She replied instead.

"Maybe we do need to talk this out man to man?" Niou thought.

"Yeah." Mayumi agreed, although inside of her she did want to come see Yagyuu, she wanted to make sure he was truly alright.

-oOo-

"Yo!" Niou greeted the bespectacled boy who just walked out of their house.

"Niou-kun?" the surprised Yagyuu responded.

"Hasashiburi." Niou saluted.

"Hai. Hasashiburi." Yagyuu hesitantly replied.

"Shall we walk to school together?" Niou asked, it was the first day of the term, because Niou Masaharu was a stubborn mule, he waited until today to go to Yagyuu's and spent the rest of his summer vacation lingering around their house weighing whether to go over to Yagyuu's and talk to the guy or not, and before he knew it Summer break was over.

"Aren't you walking to school with Suzuki-kun?" Yagyuu asked as he adjusted his school bag.

"Iie, told her I wanted to walk to school with you today, she was happy with it." Niou reasoned out.

"Aa." Yagyuu uncomfortably walked beside his best friend.

"Where's your tennis bag?" Niou asked nothing the small school bag that Yagyuu was carrying compared to the big tennis bag that he was.

"Ano, I'm not going to practice." Yagyuu replied.

"Oh, still busy with council stuff huh?" Niou concluded.

The rest of the walk to school was quite one sided, with Niou blabbering about one thing or another and Yagyuu giving off short replies or was just nodded all together, until they reached the campus.

"Niou-kun." Yagyuu stopped the shorter boy who was still blabbering about something.

Niou stared at the taller boy.

"I quit the team." Was Yagyuu's direct and emotionless declaration.

"E?" Niou was not sure he understood what his best friend had just declared.

"I gave Yukimura my letter of resignation before Summer break." Yagyuu declared as devoid of emotion as one could ever do, to Niou it seemed like he was talking to Sanada and not Yagyuu with the lack of emotions that his best friend was giving off at that point.

"E?"

"It's better this way Niou-kun, for all of us." Yagyuu declared before walking away.

Niou didn't quite understand what had just happened and just stood there confused.

"Oi, what are you standing around for?" Marui asked the silverette as he passed him by.

"Niou, what's wrong with you?" Jackal also asked as he waved his hand in front of Niou's face.

"Niou-senpai, doushita?" Kirihara waved his hand along with Jackal.

Niou began to snicker.

Marui, Jackal and Kirihara began looking at each other more confused.

"I had a funny dream." Niou declared.

"E?" Kirihara and Marui reacted.

"What dream was that Niou?" Jackal asked.

"I dreamt that Yagyuu and I were walking to school today and then when we got here, he told me he quit the tennis club." Niou commented with a funny smile on his face.

Marui and Jackal found it weird.

"What part of that dream was funny Niou-senpai?" Kirihara dared to ask, frankly, he bought it.

Niou began laughing the suddenly his face turned serious, "Crap! That wasn't a dream!" and he began to run towards 3-1's classroom, Marui, Jackal and Kirihara right behind him.

"Yagyuu quit the team? When did that happen?" Marui asked Jackal as they ran after Niou.

"Beats me." Jackal replied.

"Yagyuu-senpai promised me he wouldn't quit the team until graduation." Kirihara reasoned.

"Yagyuu!" Niou shouted as he reached the door to his doubles partner's classroom.

Yagyuu turned his head to the door as he was talking to Sanada at that moment.

"Niou, what are you doing here?" Sanada asked the silverette.

"Sanada, is it true? Did Yagyuu really quit the team?" Niou walked over to Sanada, Yagyuu not moving an inch nor making a sound.

"Calm down Niou." Sanada replied.

"Answer my question!" Niou demanded.

Sanada was taken aback, "Hai, he handed over his letter of resignation from the team before summer break." Sanada confirmed.

"Why didn't you tell me anything?" Niou then faced Yagyuu who was sternly standing across Sanada.

"I didn't think it was anything worth discussing over." Yagyuu replied.

Marui, Jackal and Kirihara stood there surprised with what was going on before them.

"I thought we were best friends? And then you go on and make a big decision like that without telling me?" Niou told Yagyuu.

"Gomen." Was all Yagyuu could say.

"When you said you were quitting tennis in High School, I thought you were just mulling over the thought because of your serious academic predisposition, then you announced to the team that you were attending high school in Tokyo, I was surprised, because I would have expected that you would have told me first." Niou blurted out.

"Yamero Niou." Marui tried to stop the silverette who was on a fit.

"This is what you call a friendship right here, huh, Yagyuu?" Niou asked.

"Gomennasai." Yagyuu bowed.

"Whatever!" Niou then walks out of the classroom.

"Oi! Niou!" Marui ran after the boy.

"Yagyuu-senpai.—." Akaya stood there with eyes pleading to his senpai, "Is it true? Did you really, really quit the team?"

Yagyuu could not look his kohai in the eye, after all, he did promise the boy that he wouldn't quit. He simply nodded.

"Demo, you said—."

"Akaya, let it rest, we'll talk about it some other time." Jackal stopped the junior ace and led him out the door.

Yagyuu sighed and walked over to his desk.

Jackal looked at Sanada, frankly, it was difficult, especially when they share the same class as Yagyuu.

-oOo-

Yagyuu walked slowly out of the gates of Rikkai Dai that afternoon, there was no council activity and since he quit the tennis club, he had no reason to stay in school after classes. His head was bowed and was slowly watching his own steps.

"So it's true." A female voice startled him. "Niou-kun told me." Mayumi was standing outside the gates of their school waiting for Yagyuu.

"Suzuki-kun?"

"Why did you quit the team?" Mayumi began to walk over to Yagyuu.

"I was quitting tennis eventually, so why force myself to continue on?" Yagyuu replied.

"Niou-kun also told me, he said you were quitting tennis when we get to high school; and that you were planning to attend high school in Tokyo." Mayumi enumerated, "Yagyuu-kun, is that really what you want?"

Yagyuu did not reply, because he knew himself this was not what he wants.

"It's not isn't it?" Mayumi continued.

Yagyuu stepped back a little, it was uncomfortable the way Mayumi was getting closer to him.

"Is this still about me?" Mayumi went straight to the point.

Yagyuu swallowed and adjusted his glasses, that was exactly the reason, but how in the world could he tell her?

"Yagyuu-kun, please, please, can you please go back to the tennis club." Mayumi pleaded.

"I can't." Yagyuu replied then began to walk away.

"Yagyuu-kun!" Mayumi called out, but the boy did not even look back.

-oOo-

Niou Masaharu was the naughty one, he played tricks on everybody, he made everyone's lives either miserable enough that they wouldn't want to live in the same space with him, or too happy enough that they wouldn't want to leave his side. But of all the things that Niou Masaharu could be, he was always a faithful friend.

"It's starting to get cold ain't it?" the silverette blurted out as he walked over to the tall figure looking out the window.

"Niou-kun, what are you doing here?" Yagyuu asked the shorter boy as her turned to face him.

"Just visiting my best friend." Niou responded. "Autumn is really coming ain't it?"

"Aa." Yagyuu agreed.

"How have you been?" Niou asked.

"I've been busy, we seniors have to get ready with the assessment exam this winter."

"The guys have been asking about you." Niou continued referring to the tennis club members.

"Sou dane. Well, it's not like they don't see me around school." Yagyuu stubbornly replied.

"Everyone misses you, particularly Akaya, he's been whiny since you left." Niou continued.

"Aa, it's because I broke my promise to him." Yagyuu admitted.

"Very ungentleman of you I might say."

Yagyuu snickered, "Hai, you may say exactly that."

"You know, technically you're still part of the tennis club." Niou declared.

"Technically." Yagyuu replied.

"Yukimura still hasn't accepted your resignation, your letter is still sitting there in the club room, in Yukimura's desk, gathering up dust." Niou enchantingly illustrated for the boy.

Yagyuu sighed, "It's good to talk to you again Niou-kun."

"Yeah, been a while hasn't it. I've been ignoring you for quite some time since that debacle in your classroom." Niou admitted.

"I haven't properly apologized to you for it either." Yagyuu also admitted.

"Doesn't matter anymore." Niou waved it off. "What's more important to me is that I still have my best friend."

Yagyuu smiled, "Yeah, I'm glad I still have my best friend too Niou-kun."

Niou gave Yagyuu a very warm brotherly hug.

"So are you coming back to the tennis club now?" Niou teased.

"Iie." Yagyuu replied.

"Come on, after me going all brotherly lovey dovey on you. Yaaaaaaaaaaaagyuu, come on, get back to the team." Niou made puppy eyes.

"It doesn't suit you Niou-kun." Yagyuu teased.

Niou repeatedly blinked his eyes, making himself as kawaii as he could before Yagyuu.

"Yamero Niou-kun, that's irritating." Yagyuu said with a very perturbed face.

"I ain't stopping until you tell me that you're going back to the club." Niou tried to press his face closed to Yagyuu making the same silly expression.

"Yamero!" Yagyuu tried to push away Niou's face, but of course Niou being Niou wouldn't stop, "Iiyo, iiyo, I'm going back to the club." Yagyuu finally declared defeated.

"Yosh!" Niou pumped his fist in the air. "Knew that would work."

"But I'm not doing it because of you." Yagyuu suddenly declared.

"E?"

"I'm doing to keep the promise I made to Kirihara-kun."

"E? No fair!" Niou began making silly faces again.

"Yamero Niou-kun!" Yagyuu pushed the boy's face away.

**-oOo-**

**Alas! I am nearing the end, however I've decided to make a sequel for this story…so before we talk about the sequel, I'm guessing a lot of Niou fans out there are quite happy on how the Niou-Suzuki thing is going, and I'm pretty sure all the Yagyuu fans out there are hating me right now (please don't because I'm a Yagyuu fan myself)…but going back to the sequel thing…how shall I end this? Happy Ending for Niou or Happy Ending for Yagyuu…hmmmmm….let me think…**


	24. Beginning is to Ending

**Chapter 23: Beginning is to Ending**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**-oOo-**

Suzuki Mayumi had only one dream in Middle School, and that was, to be noticed. She was the wallflower, living and breathing without anyone noticing her. Then came the trickster, who decided that she was going to be the apple of his eyes, dumping her with every imaginable color of goo. To the world, she was simply being bullied and picked on. But in reality, it was the trickster's way of making the unnoticed girl notice him. Suzuki Mayumi had only one dream in Middle School, and that was, to be noticed. She was used to being ignored and treated like the space she occupied in the atmosphere was dead air. Then came the gentleman, who always protected and watched over her, making her feel safe, reminding her that she existed. To the world, he was simply being the gentleman that he was, caring and noticing people around him. But in reality, it was the gentleman's way of telling the invisible girl that he saw no one but her. When all things come together, it was complicated, because all Suzuki Mayumi wanted, was to be noticed.

"If you keep standing there, you'll definitely catch a cold." The silver haired boy said as he came up to the girl.

"Niou-kun. How was practice?" she replied with a smile.

"Like always." He replied before wrapping his arms on the girl's shoulders.

"You can really feel winter coming right?" the girl replies as she snugs herself under the boy's embrace.

"Hmn. Soon it'll be snowing, then winter break will come, and before we know it we'll be graduating." The boy agrees as they begin their journey home.

"First we have to worry about the Assessment Exams, then we can think of winter break." She reminded the boy.

"We'll surely ace that test." He proudly declared.

"You maybe, you're smarter than me." The girl pokes his by the side.

"Ore? Iie, Yagyuu's definitely going to ace that test." He remarks.

"Oh, yeah—I'm sure he will." The girl tries her best to be jolly about the topic, but she could never deny the fact that her voice was shaking and her tone was lonely.

"Oi." The boy glances over.

"Hmn?"

"You two still not talking huh?" the boy confirms his theory.

Mayumi gives off a sigh, and that was all the answer Niou would ever need.

"Yagyuu, he's a really nice guy, and I'm sure that he's just trying to find the right moment to talk to you. Stop worrying about it." He assures the girl.

"Aa." The girl nods and tries her best to believe what he was telling her.

-oOo-

Niou Masaharu was the trickster, both in the court and outside. He was the resident prankster who loves playing tricks on everyone. But more than that, he was a bright student, even if he didn't appear to be so. He was actually very smart, gifted even, because even when during group reviews he sleeps around or messes around with everyone else while they study, he always manages to get a better score than them, well, fairly better, except for Sanada, Yagyuu and Jackal those three smarty pants from section one, no one ever gets a score higher than them. Niou Masaharu was also an exceptional tennis player, more than his illusion, he was a very good tennis player, and recruiter at that, Yagyuu would be a living proof of that. Niou Masaharu was also a traumatized son, the trials that their family underwent when he was younger have pushed him in directions that he wanted to regret but never could, because although he did once run away from home, that turning point in his life made him the man that he was today. Niou Masaharu was a great mimic, he can copy even Sanada and Yukimura's tennis techniques, but he was an original when being a friend; because even if he keeps bugging Kirihara Akaya, he's actually very concerned about the kid, and although he like messing with Yagyuu's name, Yagyuu will always be his best friend. But above everything that Niou Masaharu is, is that he was a fierce lover; he may have difficulties in expressing his emotions but he's been gradually improving at it. But of everything, that Niou Masaharu is and is not, the last one stated would probably something that you will never make him say aloud.

"What do you think would be a good Christmas gift for Suzuki?" Niou suddenly asked Marui who was changing out of his jersey that afternoon.

Marui stared at the silverette sitting beside him.

"Well, any ideas?"

"You're asking me right?" Marui confirmed.

"Do you see anyone else in here that I can ask?" Niou retorted.

Marui turns his head from side to side, surely, they were alone in the clubroom, "Christmas gift huh?"

"Are you deaf Bunta?" Niou was getting irritated.

"I don't know, why ask me? I don't have a girlfriend." Marui countered, quite bitterly I might add.

"Oi, Jackal, what do you think would be a nice Christmas gift for Suzuki?" Niou then turns to the half-Brazilian who just entered the clubroom from the shower.

Jackal points at himself in surprise.

"Are there any other Jackals in this tennis club?" Niou sarcastically replied.

"A scarf maybe?" Jackal answered out of nothing else to say.

Marui gave Jackal a look that says 'what?'

Jackal shrugs his shoulder at Marui as if to say 'I couldn't think of anything.'

"She just bought a new one the other day, anything else? How about you Yanagi?" Niou then turns to the master who had just entered the clubroom with Sanada and Yukimura.

"How about me?" Yanagi asked back not understanding what Niou was referring to.

"Gift suggestions." Jackal replied before Niou could even smart talk back.

"Can you please talk sense into Niou's head that he is the only one with a girlfriend in this tennis club." Marui told the master who ignored the bicker boy and replied instead.

"A scarf?"

"Already said that." Jackal expressed.

"Gloves then." Yanagi suggested next.

"Gloves huh?" Niou began to rub his chin considering the suggestion.

"You don't want to buy her gloves." Yukimura declared as he was arranging the papers that Akaya had to fill up for the next practice.

"Why not?" Niou asks the demigod.

"Because Minori-niisan already bought her gloves as a Christmas present, I was with him when he bought it." Yukimura explained.

"Right. Thanks Yukimura." Niou continued to think.

"Maybe Sanada has a suggestion." Yukimura teased his best friend whose face was mashed up as a mixture of feeling cold from the winter breeze and irritated of Akaya not being able to complete the training course for the day.

Sanada glares at Yukimura.

"Yo! Sanada, any suggestions?" Niou asks the boy not really minding the look on his face, because he was Niou after all.

Sanada clears his throat, "Ear muffs?" he almost whispered.

"E?" Niou not catching what the stoic fukubuchou had said.

"He said ear muffs." Yukimura repeated with a naughty smile, he was intentionally making Sanada irritated.

Sanada glares sharper at the bluenette who only smiled at him.

"Ear muffs are good." Marui agreed.

"Yeah, keeps the ears from freezing, hey, arigato Sanada!" Niou happily chirped, yes chirped, he was in a particularly good mood.

Yagyuu then enters the clubroom with Kirihara who was freezing from the 80 laps that Sanada made him run out in the snow for not completing the training menu for the day.

"Oi, Yagyuu guess what, I already know what to give Suzuki for Christmas." Niou gleefully announced to the bespectacled boy who has been spending a lot of time with Kirihara lately, maybe to make up for the weeks he supposedly quit the tennis club and broke his promise with the junior. "Ear muffs! It was Sanada's idea actually."

Yagyuu stared at the hyperactive silverette, then to the stoic raven-haired boy who he was sure was blushing.

"Suzuki-senpai doesn't want ear muffs." Kirihara declared as he dragged himself to the shower for some hot water to relieve what he was assuming to be frostbite in his toes.

"Why not?" Yanagi asked the younger boy.

"Because Suzuki-senpai told me so." Kirihara replied with what was left of his energy before going on to the shower.

"Iiyo, ear muffs are out of the question then." Niou declared.

"Hand warmers." Yagyuu said nonchalantly.

"Ah, Yukimura said his niisan already bought her gloves so—." Niou was to argue before being cut off by Yagyuu.

"Not gloves, hand warmer. Those round things that has fur and comes in different colors. Hand warmers." Yagyuu explained.

"Oh those? Nande?" Niou curious to know why his best friend would suggest that as a gift.

"Because girls like those kind of things, my imouto likes those, I'm sure your Neesan likes those too." Yagyuu explained.

"Come to think of it, I think Neechan does have one of those. Arigato Yagyuu!" Niou pated the boy on the shoulder before heading out the door.

"Hand warmers?" Marui asked the bespectacled boy after Niou had left.

"Girls like them?" Jackal added.

"Are you kidding us Yagyuu?" Marui continued.

"Your imouto is in Elementary School, how can she even know what hand warmers are?" Yanagi joined in the interrogation.

"Iiyo, fine, I overheard Suzuki-kun admiring Satori-san's hand warmers the other day." Yagyuu admitted in defeat.

Sanada snickered.

"You truly are very observant Yagyuu." Yukimura commented.

"As long as she's happy with what she gets from Niou, I'm fine with that." Yagyuu declared before heading to the shower.

The rest of the team, except for Akaya who was still in the shower, looked at each other knowingly.

-oOo-

Yagyuu Hiroshi was the gentleman, he was the epitome of an ideal boyfriend. He had the looks, the brains, he was both a golfer and a tennis player. He was student council vice president and Rikkai Tennis Club regular, which ask anyone, was a difficult position to obtain, probably harder than passing Middle School at that. He was a loving brother and son. He wants to be a doctor. He was very calm and collected. But of every possible positive thing that Yagyuu Hiroshi was, he was also a very slow healer. Because no matter how hard he tried to be happy, the hurting heart that he had was making it difficult for him to even smile.

"Yagyuu-kun." A gentle small voice called for him in the hallway filled with seniors rushing out of their classrooms after their High School Assessment Exam.

"Suzuki-kun?" the surprised boy stared at the girl who was leaning on the wall, as if she was really waiting for him.

"Can we talk? Please."

"Iiyo."

"I haven't been able to talk with you since that incident about going back to the tennis club." The girl began.

"Suzuki-kun, don't even think about that. It's all in the past. All that I want, is for you to be happy—Be happy, you and Niou-kun, that's all I'll ever want for you." The boy softly spoke.

"Y-Yagyuu-kun—."

"I never want to see you cry, so, when you have problems, talk it over with Niou-kun. When someone bullies you, don't hide it from Niou-kun. Please, let Niou-kun protect you, let him stand for you and by you." Yagyuu continued.

Mayumi stood staring at the boy speaking words that were tearing her heart apart.

"Don't look to the left or to the right, look straight, look into Niou-kun's eyes. When you're cold, reach for Niou-kun's hands. When you feel weak, depend on Niou-kun's arms. Let him be your strength."

Tears began to run down Mayumi's cheeks, because despite Yagyuu's kind words, she felt the pain that the boy was hiding in his heart. And it burdens her knowing that she was part of the reason why this gentle and kind boy was hurting. If only she could return the love he was giving her, but she chose Niou, and Niou was who she loved.

"Didn't I just say that I didn't want to see you cry?" Yagyuu hands the girl his handkerchief.

The girl accepts and wipes her eyes then sighs. "Yagyuu-kun."

"Hai?"

"Can I ask something of you?"

"Hai."

"Whenever we see each other, whether in school or outside, can you—."

"Can I what?"

"Can you please smile at me?" the girl said choking, "You don't have to tell me anything, you don't even have to speak to me ever again if you don't want to, just please, smile at me."

Yagyuu stared at the girl confused.

"When Niou-kun was playing pranks on me, you always helped me, and no matter how bad my day was, you—your smile always made a difference." The girl admitted.

Yagyuu was caught off guard with what the girl had said, he paused for a while before nodding his head and replying, "Then I will smile at you every time I meet you." Then he flashed a genuinely happy smile.

Mayumi smiled at seeing the boy smiling at her, "Arigato Yagyuu-kun."

Yagyuu followed the girl with his eyes as she slowly walked away, he knew she was heading for Niou, who was probably waiting outside, and in his head, her words kept echoing. He remembered what he had told Niou a long time ago, that Niou could make Mayumi smile, that he couldn't; but after hearing Mayumi's words he realized, at that moment Yagyuu realized, his greatest dream was not to be a doctor, it was not even to be a great tennis player. At that moment Yagyuu realized, his greatest dream.

-oOo-

Winter came and went, and once again the cherry trees are filled with buds, when they begin to bloom it would mean that it was the start, not only of spring, but of a new chapter in their lives. Today they graduate from Middle School, in a few days, they'll step into a completely new world bringing only the memories they made.

"Will you stop crying already." Marui almost shouted at Kirihara.

"Akaya, fix yourself up Sanada and Yukimura are coming over." Jackal told the boy who had been crying since the handing out of diploma started.

"Demo, senpai, I can't." Kirihara replied trying hard to stop himself from crying.

"What's going on here?" Yanagi asked as he came over.

"Akaya's being a cry baby again." Marui replied.

"Yanagi-senpai, can I still ask your help for strategy planning for the tennis club?" Kirihara asked grabbing on Yanagi's sleeves.

"Of course." The master replied just as Sanada and Yukimura came over.

"Ah, Akaya, are you crying?" Yukimura asked noting how Kirihara was turning his head away from them.

"I'm not buchou." The junior ace denied.

"Really?" Yukimura then tried to follow every direction that Kirihara turned his head. "Hai, definitely crying."

"Buchou!" Kirihara broke down and hugged the demigod.

"Akaya! Stop slacking off." Sanada reprimanded the boy.

"Sanada fukubuchou!" Kirihara let go of Yukimura and attempted to hug Sanada, emphasis on the attempted part, because Sanada quickly grabbed Kirihara by the shoulder to prevent him from getting any closer to him. This of course made the rest chuckle, especially Yukimura who intentionally provoked Kirihara.

"Minna-san." Yagyuu greeted everyone.

"Yagyuu-senpai!" Kirihara who was now very emotional then turned to hug the bespectacled boy.

"Doushita?" Yagyuu asked as the younger tennis player was hugging him like a leech.

"Why did you all have to graduate and leave me behind?" Kirihara complained.

Yagyuu patted the boy's back, "Well, since we've all graduated, it means you're now number one Kirihara-kun."

Kirihara straightened himself up, realizing what his senpai had said, and as we all know, Kirihara wants to be number one.

"I think that brought some sense into the brain of his." Marui commented.

"I agree." Jackal second.

"Oi, oi, looks like everyone's enjoying themselves—Nani? Is Akaya crying?" Niou asked as he came over holding Mayumi's hand.

"Kirihara-kun, are you crying?" Mayumi asked the boy.

"Iie, I'm not crying, because now, I'm Rikkai's number one!" Kirihara proudly declared.

"That's what Yagyuu told him to stop him from crying." Yanagi explained.

"Mou! Yanagi-senpai!" Kirihara pouted.

"Ma, ma, let's take a picture of the team." Mayumi said taking out her camera and waving the boys to pose for a picture.

"I better be sugoi kawaii in the picture Suzuki-kun." Marui demanded.

"You're always kawaii Marui-kun." The girl complemented.

"Oi!" Niou reacted.

"But not as kawaii as you Niou-kun." Mayumi added.

"Of course!" Niou said smugly earning him a head slap from Sanada. "Itte!"

"Come on, take a pose minna." Mayumi quickly ran a few steps away and focused the camera at the group.

A few pictures here and there, a picture of the Rikkai Big three; a picture of the Rikkai Big three with Akaya suddenly appearing in front causing the camera to get a shot of only Akaya's face; a picture of each double's partners, a picture of Mayumi with Yukimura; a picture of Mayumi with Sanada; one with Sanada and Yukimura; one with Marui and Jackal; one with Yanagi and Akaya; one with Niou of course, but the most important picture taken that day was that of Niou, Mayumi and Yagyuu together, all three of them smiling happily.

-oOo-

After all the ceremonies and greetings, Niou and Mayumi went home together, probably heading off somewhere to eat before going home. The rest of the regulars with their junior walked together to Jackal's family Ramen House, after eating, someone opened the topic about Niou, Mayumi and Yagyuu. This of course caused an awkward silence in the group, which was broken only by Yagyuu himself.

"Minna-san." Yagyuu started, "I do not want this topic to cause problems for us, dakara, let me say this is everyone."

Yukimura listened attentively, somehow he knew, what he was about to hear was very important.

"The truth is, I still love Suzuki-kun." Yagyuu declared.

Sanada's brows furrowed. He wanted to say something, but decided not to, after all, he was rooting for Yagyuu from the start.

"I want you all to know that I am in love, with a person who can never be mine." Yagyuu continued.

Yanagi shifted a little, it was a different Yagyuu that they were seeing.

"Even if I want to tell her these things, I don't even know how to begin. So, minna-san, if time comes that I'm no longer with you, and she ever asks about me, please tell her this—." Yagyuu stopped to catch his breathe.

Marui who would have already given a smarty comment remained silent.

"Can you tell her that I love her, even if she loves someone else. Demo, tell her not to worry, because I don't even expect anything. That is something that I cannot change." Yagyuu sighed.

Jackal patted his back.

"Tell her I'm trying my best to be happy, no matter how much my heart is hurting." Yagyuu went on his voice shaking.

Yukimura stood up and walked over to Yagyuu.

"Yukimura-kun," Yagyuu looked into his buchou's eyes, "Will you tell her that I will keep my promise to her."

"What promise is that?" Yukimura asked, his voice soft and sad.

"That I will always smile, whenever I meet her." Yagyuu replied.

"Hmn." Yukimura nodded and patted the boy on the shoulder.

"I will smile, no matter how much it hurts." Yagyuu concluded.

The group was silent for a split second, knowing that while Yagyuu was sitting there still hurting and mending his own wounds, somewhere, two other souls were happy unknowing of the other's misery.

Yagyuu stood up, bowed before everyone, "Arigato gozaimashita Minna-san." He nodded, "I've finally realized my greatest dream."

"What dream is that?" Sanada asked, his head bowed.

"My dream, was to make Suzuki Mayumi smile." Yagyuu replied before exiting the Ramen House leaving everyone silent and staring wither at the floor or at the door.

"Ne, senpai, do you know what Yagyuu-senpai wrote in his High School Application form?" Kirihara asked the group, breaking the silence.

"We're not allowed to look at those, especially when they have been submitted to the sensei." Yanagi replied for the group.

"Sensei, called me to the faculty lounge the other day because I forgot to fill up some forms. I saw Yagyuu-senpai's form, it was on the top of the pile on Watanabe-sensei's desk." Kirihara revealed.

"And?" Marui asked.

"Yagyuu-senpai's first choice was K Science High School in Tokyo, I heard it's affiliated to the top Medical University in Japan today; his second is another science high school in Tokyo and the thirds was a Medical University affiliated Science High School in Saitama." Kirihara enumerated.

"He didn't even write down Rikkai as an option?" Marui confirmed.

"He didn't write down any Science High School in Kanagawa." Jackal added.

Kirihara shook his head.

"Yagyuu is really leaving us, isn't he?" Yukimura verbalized what no one dared.

-oOo-

Niou Masaharu was the trickster and to that reputation, he has proven everyone wrong, because Niou Masaharu has been the most honest best friend and lover they've ever seen. Suzuki Mayumi was the wallflower, and to that reputation she has proven everyone wrong, because she has obviously become a blooming flower. Yagyuu Hiroshi was the gentleman, and to that reputation he has lived up to, even to the point of sacrificing his own happiness.

**-oOo-**


	25. EPILOGUE

**EPILOGUE**

**Standard Disclaimer Applies**

**-oOo-**

"Are you signing up for the tennis club?" An excited Marui asked his former doubles partner as they walked into the gates of Rikkai Dai Senior High School.

"Aa, and you?" Jackal replied.

"Of course!" The serve-and-volley player replied, "I wonder how Akaya is doing at the other campus?"

"He's probably being a bully." Jackal joked.

"Probably going blood shot on the newbies." Marui added.

"Are we talking about Akaya?" Yanagi asked as he came up behind the two.

"Yo! Yanagi, what section did you get this time?" Marui greeted the master.

"One-B, I believe I'm in the same class at Niou-kun." Yanagi replied.

"Good luck with that." Marui answered.

"What for?" Jackal asked.

"Jackal, who was Niou's classmate for the whole duration of Middle School?" Marui asked back.

"You."

"Exactly! So, Yanagi, again, good luck with that!" Marui vaguely replied.

"I still don't get it." Jackal complained.

"Ohayou." Yukimura greeted the group, with Sanada dragging on behind him.

"Oi, Yukimura, Sanada!" Marui greeted back first.

"So, all that's missing is Niou." Yanagi expressed.

"Not just Niou." Yukimura corrected.

"Any one heard from him?" Jackal asked the group.

"Who?" Marui asked confused.

"Not even an SMS or an e-mail over Spring break." Yanagi responded to Jackal's question, completely ignoring Marui.

"When we dropped by his house his mother said he was out, fixing papers and stuffs." Yukimura added.

"What are we talking about?" Marui again asked.

"Whatever happens, let's just respect his decision. If we see him here today, then, it's good. But if we don't, then, it's good, wherever he would be at peace." Sanada commented.

"Are we talking about Yagyuu?" Marui finally realized.

"Really, Marui? Really?" Jackal sarcastically asked.

"I was just clarifying." Marui reasoned out.

"No one saw him over the break, and no one saw him during enrolment. And no one has seen him today either, I bumped into Yamamoto-san earlier and she was looking for Yagyuu as well." Yanagi explained.

"Isn't that Yamamoto the one that confessed to Yagyuu and got turned down?" Marui clarified.

"Hai."

"Then why was she looking for Yagyuu?" Marui commented.

"Who knows, maybe she intended on confessing a second time?" Jackal offered as an answer.

"Has anyone seen Niou?" Yanagi changed the topic.

"He's probably at the rooftop." Yukimura replied.

"First day of school and he's already hanging out up there?" Marui reacted.

"It's Niou, if it's him, it shouldn't be a surprise." Jackal reasoned.

"So, we'll see each other at tennis club sign up this afternoon." Yukimura asked everyone before they each went their separate ways to their respective classes. They didn't want to admit it, but their world has changed.

-oOo-

Niou wraps his arms around the girl's waist before whispering in her ears, "Are we skipping classes on the first day?"

"Niou-kun," the girl jumped in surprise, "Of course not, we better get to class."

"But the view from up here is better." Niou tightened his embrace.

"But the learning from down there is better." Mayumi joked as she slowly removed the boy's grip from her waist.

"Ne, Suzuki, what section did you get?"

"I'm with Seiichi and Marui-kun this year, One-C." Mayumi checked the index card that indicated her class.

"I'm stuck with Yanagi this year." Niou complained.

"It can't be that bad?"

"I'm gonna be forced to study!" Niou furthered.

"Which is bad because?"

Niou pouted.

"Kawaii." Mayumi smiled at the boy.

"Ike, let's get to class then?" Niou grabbed the girl by the hand and led her out of the rooftop.

"He really left didn't he?" Mayumi said sadly as they were about to exit the rooftop door.

"E?"

"Yagyuu-kun, he really left us." Mayumi could not hide the loneliness in her voice.

Niou felt like he was suffocating, not that he didn't miss Yagyuu, because if anyone, he may as well be the person who missed the ginger-head the most, but the fact that his girlfriend was missing some other guy besides him was just too much for him. "Can we not talk about Yagyuu on the first day of school?"

"E? Are you angry?"

"Iie, can we please just not talk about him, so early in the morning, on a very nice first day of high school?" Niou irately responded.

"Iiyo." Mayumi replied and slowly followed the boy down to the stairs. She stares at the silverettes back, the contrast of his silver hair on his dark green uniform seemed to lonely. She should be happy, Niou was beside her, well, in front of her at that moment, her world was complete. It's just that, somehow, with Yagyuu gone, her world got bigger and she became invisible once again.

-oOo-

The sakura petals were falling on the brick path, which seemed so long and winding, the building seemed so unfamiliar, and the student's faces seemed cold and unfriendly. Truly it a completely new different world for him, but he chose this, he wanted this, but he felt sad about this at the same time.

"Yagyuu-san!" a familiar voice called him.

"Ah, Oishi-kun, you're here." He greeted the boy back.

Oishi sighs and nods, "High School huh? This is going to be an interesting journey for us."

"Aa. I wonder where he is." Yagyuu looks around looking for someone in the crowd.

"Looking for me?" a deep male voice asked.

"Where've you been Oshitari?" Oishi asked the bluenette.

"Looking around, this place is not too shabby. Compared to Hyotei—well, it just can't compare." Oshitari commented.

"Then why did you not attend Hyotei then?" Yagyuu commented.

"Does Atobe even know you're here?" Oishi added.

"I do not need Atobe's permission for me to choose which high school I am attending." Oshitari defended.

"So, I guess it'll be us three from now on huh?" Oishi remarked.

"Are you joining any clubs?" Yagyuu asked the two.

"At the moment I don't plan on joining any clubs." Oishi responded.

"Neither am I." Yagyuu affirmed.

"You two are probably going to be the most boring doctors in this country." Oshitari commented.

"Why is that Oshitari-kun?" Yagyuu asked.

"We're in high school, it's not like this is already Medical School, lighten up a bit. Come on let's join the tennis club." Oshitari offered.

Yagyuu and Oishi looked at each other, then spontaneously responded, "Iie."

"Nani? If you two are going to be that boring, I'm transferring back to Hyotei." Oshitari commented.

"Whatever you want Oshitari." Oishi said turning his back and trying to find the entrance to the building.

"We'll support you wholeheartedly." Yagyuu added before also turning his back.

"Seriously? You two are no fun to hang around with." Oshitari complained.

"We didn't come here to have fun Oshitari-kun, we came here to prepare for Medical School." Yagyuu countered.

"If I wanted to have fun, I would have stayed in Seigaku. And Yagyuu here would have stayed in Rikkai, right Yagyuu?" Oishi added.

Yagyuu was shocked, truly, Rikkai was a fun place, but he wasn't actually sure he would have wanted to stay there; especially with the way, his heart goes doki doki each time he sees the purple hair who now belongs to someone else.

"Yagyuu?" Oshitari shook the boy a little to get his attention.

"Hai?" Yagyuu replied, pretending he was not paying attention and did not hear what Oishi was saying.

"Daijabou desu ka Yagyuu?" Oishi asked the bespectacled boy who looked a little pale.

"Hai, daijabou desu. Let's go find our class shall we?" Yagyuu offered to change the topic.

-oOo-

Now separated by two different worlds, one party surrounded by their usual wall of support, and the other surrounded by a newly blossoming friendship; with one party trying to move on, while the other party facing obstacles that will test how strong their love is. A memory of a smile and the greatest dream of making someone smile, what does High School hold for these fragile hearts?

**-oOo-**

**This is the spin-off for the Sequel to this story, Now that they've graduated from Middle School, will Niou and Mayumi's love story survive the tests of High School, and will Yagyuu find a new love in his new world?**

**By the way just in case you're wondering why Yagyuu was with Oishi and Oshitari, read my other fic Something I'll Never Know, you'll see that those three are doctors there (Yagyuu-Oncologist; Oishi-Cardiologist; Oshitari-Plastic Surgeon), so the sequel will also be a like a background story on how those three got so close.**


End file.
